


A Single Father

by PollyWeasley



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Astoria's a bitch, Homophobia, Lawyer Harry, M/M, Mentions of other canon couples - Freeform, Muggle AU, Older Scorpius, Paediatrician Draco, Past Draco/Astoria - Freeform, Past Harry/Ginny - Freeform, Slow Build, Top!Harry, baby albus severus, bottom!Draco, lots of kids, loving friends and family, single dads
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-02-16
Updated: 2018-06-01
Packaged: 2018-09-24 19:27:52
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 32,390
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9781853
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PollyWeasley/pseuds/PollyWeasley
Summary: Harry Potter unexpectedly discovers he has a son. Despite the fear of being a father without expecting, and having to learn everything by himself, he thinks he's doing well... Only to find out that his next door neighbour doesn't really like early cries and decides to teach Harry how to properly be a father.





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> Unbeta'd fiction. If you want to help me with it, please talk to me. Translated fiction from Portuguese (in portuguese it is currently complete. It will take a while to post it here because I'm translating it and it's a hard work).
> 
> https://fanfiction.com.br/historia/593526/A_Single_Father/ - portuguese version
> 
> I don't own Harry Potter or make money with my fictions. It is only for entertaining purposes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you Christmas Socks for beta'ing this fic. I will never thank you enough.

Harry's hands were shaking. His heart was pounding so hard he felt like throwing up. He looked at the redhead in front of him, so many adverse emotions inside his chest that he couldn’t choose one to focus on. He was angry, and yet excited, also feeling a deep sadness, and fear, and happiness, and disgust, all at the same time. He didn’t know what he should feel at that moment, and felt completely lost.

 

Ginny had met him in high school. Sister of his best friend, Ginny had always been close and a great friend. Soon they had an affair, but Harry always felt strange in her presence. It wasn’t like he didn’t like her, but there was something that didn’t fit very well, and Harry could never understand what it was. Even when they went to college, Harry thought it was better to stay away, and then they broke up, having only a few “one night stands” here and there. Harry felt his chest hurt every time he thought about how he was still a virgin simply because he couldn’t, in any way, go to bed with Ginny. After a while, he noticed that he had different feelings towards boys. He felt desire, and Harry found himself doubting his own sexuality. Still, he kept it inside for a long time, and graduated while dating Ginny. She always found him a strange guy. Harry never passed on from the preliminary touches. He had even said he was afraid of having sex simply because he was very bad at it, and the redhead couldn’t help her frustration and had some escapades with Dean Thomas at Uni. Of course Harry never knew that, but even if he had, he would have understood.

 

At the end of his course, he decided it was time to try. He finally went to bed with Ginny, and heavens, he had to struggle so much just to begin with the acting. Even before he was finished, he had decided he didn’t like girls. He only loved Ginny very much, as a good friend, and only because of that had he managed to do something with her. Still, he had to think of another body, other hands over him, to get to the climax.

 

A week later they broke up, and she understood. Ginny said she already suspected it and was fine with it. And anyway, they couldn’t stay together. Ginny had been chosen to play in a sports club across the country, and decidedly wasn’t going to give up going because of Harry... So it was great that, after all, he was gay.

 

And now she was here, with moist eyes and trembling hands, with a newborn baby in her arms.

 

His son. Harry Potter’s son.

 

“I can’t stay with him, Harry. I can’t be a mum now. My career has only just begun and, God, I need to continue or I will have to abandon the dream of my life. Had I known that that one time we had sex was going to result in a baby, I swear you would have died a virgin!” she said, pressing too hard the child in her arms.

 

“Ginny ... We can work it out, I know we can,” he tried to say, breathing heavily. His parents, before they died, had left him a wonderful heritage, that he only had access when he was 18, and it was still barely intact. He could raise that child despite being in his job for less than a year, in a law firm just few blocks away. “ I'll take him, I'll take care of him... We will take care of him together. We can even get married, if necessary, I...”

 

“Harry.” She interrupted, raising a hand. “I don't want this child. If you won’t take care of him, he goes into foster care.” She said gravely. “I can’t be a mother. I said. It's still early. We can make the child's birth certificate. I'll give you full custody. I made an account with a milk bank and I will pass it on to you.”

 

“Didn’t you breastfeed him...?” He asked, and she shook her head.

 

“I have no milk.” Her eyes were dry as she said it.

 

“What ... What's his name?” Harry asked, and she sighed.

 

“I didn’t name him, Harry. You can choose his name. Can we go now? Or are you busy?” Ginny asked, and Harry could only swallow. He was a lawyer, he knew how things worked and could do everything that day, yes. But still... he couldn't help it but he thought it was inhuman.

 

“And what does your mother think about it...? And Ron...?”, he dared to ask, and she let out a chuckle, handing the bag with the newborn's belongings to Harry.

 

“They know. They find it absurd, but my mother managed to convince them that it was my decision and that I should do what I think it’s right,” Ginny said, and his eyes dropped to the baby in her arms. "I was in despair when I discovered I was pregnant. I knew I couldn’t expect you to marry me and be his father. You would never be happy married to a woman, and besides, it was my fault. I thought nothing would happen. You were very naive about these things, and I knew it. I knew it had to be me to teach you and I simply ignored everything in a moment of weakness. Mum made me not abort him. She insisted that I had the baby and asked, throughout the pregnancy, that I hand over the boy to you and not for adoption. She told me a few good words, but she understood my reasons in the end. She knew that I would never be happy being a mother so early, and agreed not to say anything to my brothers or to you. If I decided to give you the boy in the end, everyone would know, but if I decided to put the child for adoption, it was better that no one knew," Ginny gave him a sincere smile, looking at the child. “If it was in another time, Harry... I would have loved to raise him. But I wasn’t born to be a mother. I wasn’t born for this,” She said, putting the baby in his father's arms for the first time,.

 

He was rather like Harry, but no one could tell exactly. He still had a wrinkled, pink face, and slept peacefully. His hair was thin and black, and his mouth was closed in a pout. The man felt his heart drop to his stomach with how much love he already felt for the baby... His son. He had thought he would never have a child, and he swallowed forcefully. Ginny couldn’t be judged for her decision. She had at least decided to have the child, rather than have him aborted. She decided to give him to his father, instead of depriving Harry of the knowledge that he had a son. She wasn't a monster... She was just trying to be happy, and she couldn't be while having a child.

 

“Why didn't you tell me, Ginny?” he asked, half hurt. “I could have helped you. We could have gone through it together.”

 

The girl took a while to answer, choosing her words, and decided to be honest.

 

“I didn’t know if I would give him to you or up for adoption. If I were to put him in foster care, it was better that you didn’t know of his existence. So you wouldn’t... So you wouldn’t be mad at me.” Ginny said, her eyes filling with water. She lifted them up, trying to control the tears. “I didn’t want you to think that... I wanted your money, or that I just wanted to use you because of the baby. I... I know you wouldn't do that, I know you, but... I was so desperate, Harry... So afraid... I... " She sobbed, closing her eyes tightly. She wouldn’t cry in front of him. “I don't want you to hate me.”

 

Harry smiled, sitting beside her and holding her with one arm, the other gently holding the baby .

 

“I would never hate you, Ginny. I love you. How often should I say this?” He asked, placing a kiss on her forehead.

 

They remained in silence for a while, until Harry broke it.

 

“When was he born?” Harry asked, stroking the boy's chubby cheeks.

 

“A week ago, three days before your birthday,” She said with a weird smile, holding one small foot, looking at him with some attention. “Ron is furious with me. Hermione is trying to calm him down... Get ready. He'll probably call you soon.”

 

Harry smiled. Yes, Ron would be furious. But he knew that he would calm down after a while; it had always been like this.

 

“Can we go now? I... I need to go back. My flight is already scheduled.” Ginny said, and Harry worried his bottom lip thoughtfully.

 

“Ginny... You... You really can't...”

 

“Harry, don't insist, please. I had nine months to think about it, and now I really don’t want to go back.” She was keen, and he took a deep breath. He nodded and decided to just go through it, leaving with her so they could sort the important things out.

 

After a long and tiring day, they went back to Harry's flat. It was large, spacious with three bedrooms, a large kitchen, a living and a dinner room and a porch that had an amazing view of the upper town. He needed to make up a room for the baby, but at least he had the essential material to go through at least the first night.

 

Ginny was standing awkwardly in the living room. He could see that she still had some weight she had gained in the pregnancy, but was still thin, freckled and red-haired, as he always remembered, her brown eyes looking the green of his with some admiration.

 

“Take care... Take good care of him, Harry.” She said with a smile, and hugged him tightly before walking away. “I know you will be an amazing father to him”.

 

Harry nodded, smiling at her. He escorted her to the door and when she left, he turned his attention to the little one. The documents were all in his bag, and now... Well, now Harry James Potter was officially Albus Severus Potter’s father, in tribute to two great men he had known in his life. He smiled, watching the baby, now awake, who gazed at him with some curiosity, as if trying to find out who he was. The man was impressed by his amazing green eyes, exactly like Harry’s. Exactly like his mother’s, Lily.

 

“Welcome, Albie.” He said, feeling joy hold his heart to the same extent and proportion as despair. Now he was a father.

 

A single father.


	2. First Experiences

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Harry deals with the first morning after Albus.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Guys, I'm sorry for the lateness of this chapter. Translating is hard work and, not having a beta, still harder. I am having a tough time at work and it is delaying the posting of most of my fics, but I won't give up. Thank you for all of you that left kudos and kind messages. I hope you like this chapter.

Heavens, he wouldn’t stop crying. No matter how much Harry lulled him, caressed him, sang to him, or walked back and forth with him in his arms. Ginny had brought breast milk bottles that were in the refrigerator, and he had warmed one, checked if it was in the right temperature before giving it to the boy, who drank like he was starving, but yet... He didn’t stop crying. Harry didn’t know what to do.

 

As soon as Ginny got out, Harry started trying to get familiar with the child. He put him on the bathroom counter, checking if the baby was dirty, and _thank heavens_ he was clean... At least for now. He turned on his laptop and searched information about how to care for a newborn since he knew nothing about it. About this time, he had put one of the breast milk bottles to heat, being careful with the temperature and checking it on his wrist, as the website said. As it looked good enough, Harry fed the boy, who drank with great hunger, looking at him with big, watery green eyes. After he drank all the bottle’s contents, he put the boy on his shoulder to burp, following instructions from videos on the Internet - Internet, ah! A gift from modernity! - and kept admiring his baby for a while. He was so beautiful...

 

Beautiful until he started to _scream_. 

Harry didn’t know what he had done wrong for the baby to start crying so desperately. He checked his nappy, noticed it was dirty and tried to change it. Once again, he appealed to the internet, almost dropping his cell phone on the dirty nappy, but getting to clean the baby following the video’s instructions. He didn’t feel disgusted, despite making a face at the stench. He wiped his baby’s bum with a baby wipe but thought it wasn’t enough. Harry decided to bathe him, looking for a place big enough for the baby and going to the bathroom sink. It seemed big enough. He put the drain cover so that the water wouldn’t ooze and filled it halfway. Harry was nervous. He had never bathed a child, and so tried to hold him firmly. Still, Albus was soft and didn’t stop moving his arms and legs, screaming desperately.

His father put him into the water, and he seemed to calm down a bit, but still, was moaning little suffering sounds. Harry grabbed the soap and began rubbing the baby, humming softly and thinking that he was getting the hang of it. He tried to put Albus with his tummy down so he could wash his bum and he felt, in a matter of seconds, the small little body slip from his soapy hands. His eyes widened, his heart fell from where it was. His hands moved quickly to hold him, and for a second Harry thought that, on his first day as a parent, he had killed his child, and then he would be arrested and lose the precious job that he had just gotten. He only breathed again when he heard a light and soft baby moan, indicating that he hadn’t slipped from his hands and was alive. Harry finished his bath, looking in the bag that Ginny had brought and once again looking for the recommendations on the website. He needed to spread an ointment to prevent any rash. After some time, he found it and followed the instructions on the website, which said to pass only a thin layer. After closing the nappy and putting Albus on a warm outfit, as the night was getting cold, Harry thought he could finally take a shower himself - being all wet and all - and sleep.

But Albus began to cry again, and this time, _for good_.

It was almost two in the morning, Harry had to work early and, by all that's holy, he needed to sleep or his life would fall apart. He would need to take the boy to the office the next day and then hire a nanny, but he couldn’t do it in the middle of the night. He was about to call Ginny and ask her to get her "order" back because he didn’t know how to care of it - but gave up when he remembered that she was never the most delicate person in the world and probably would give up faster than him.

“Come on, Albie... You'll wake the whole building like this,” he begged while moving softly with the boy in his arms, who screamed loudly. His eyes were full of tears that streamed down the sides of his face. The little tongue trembled within the toothless mouth, as well as his entire body. Harry didn’t know what to do to silence the boy, much less knew what was wrong. He had given him a bath - almost dropped the child, but he survived - changed his nappy, had given him the milk bottle, lulled him, played with him, sung to him, made him burp as recommended. Even searched on the internet a list of everything you had to do to care for a newborn baby, and had basically done everything that it had indicated to him, but the boy _wouldn’t. stop. **crying**_.

Harry took a deep breath and tried putting his pinky finger into the boy's mouth, just the tip, to see if he sucked it and stopped crying. It had worked once, but now the baby refused and shook his head from side to side, uncomfortable. He was about to put the baby in the makeshift bed he built for him, which was made with pillows and sheets on his own bed, when he heard the doorbell be played once, twice, three times, impatiently.

“Great... You woke up the neighbour!” Harry complained, upset, breathing out and walking to open the door. He was more messed up than usual, dressed only on his pyjama bottoms and his tired shoulders. His eyes looked pale beneath his glasses and his hair was falling over his forehead, putting his eyes under a shadow. When he opened the door, he faced his neighbour, who wasn’t looking really happy. “Malfoy,” That's what Harry said, watching the blond guy with a very unhappy face on the other side.

The neighbour wore a robe over what Harry imagined it to be his pyjamas, as he couldn’t see. It was possible to notice that the blond had tried to put his hair back, combing them with his fingers, but without the same care that Harry usually saw in him in the hallways.

“Potter,” It wasn’t quite a greeting. The blond seemed to spit the name as a curse. “Are you beating this child? Where did you find this goat puppy? Can you get it to shut up? I need to sleep!”

The Leo frowned at the other. Sure it wasn’t quite a time to Albus be screaming like that, but calling his son a 'goat puppy' was a little too much.

“Enter or he’ll wake up the whole building,” Harry said in a more controlled tone, holding himself not to attack that arrogant prick. Malfoy entered his flat with class, looking around. It was beautiful, but organized as a class C flat, full of personal objects throughout the rooms, hanging pictures and trinkets on the windows. _So_ middle class.

“What does he have?” Malfoy asked, crossing his arms. “Is he sick or something?” His tone seemed gentle if Harry didn’t know it was a merely polite tone. He could feel the venom in every word, showing that the blond was enraged. “I need to sleep, Potter, so can you please shut him up?”

“If I had known what he has, he wouldn’t be crying!” Harry said, and his tone was almost a groan. Perhaps his tired face had caused some commotion inside his neighbour, or he just wanted it to end soon, but Harry would never know. The fact was that he snatched the child from his father's arms and put him in his own, holding him with his tummy down, his little head resting on his forearm, a pale hand holding him between his legs while the other was slightly rubbing him in the center of his back. The baby’s screams began to decrease until there was nothing left but small moans.

Potter looked haunted to the other man, as he moved his body slowly, calming the baby down. His face was completely serious, but his hands worked with affection over the baby.

“Where is his mother, Potter?” Malfoy asked, and Harry cleared his throat, still overwhelmed.

“She... She left,” Harry said without looking into his eyes.

“Well... He might be with cramps, or simply missing his mother,” Malfoy said, still with his cold tone. The boy was completely silent now, and then the blond turned him on his back, supporting him carefully and then handing him over to his father, positioning Harry's hands as he should hold - correctly - the child.

“How... How did you know...?” Harry couldn’t finish his question, turning as Malfoy headed for the door.

“Actually, I am a pediatrician, and I'm on duty tomorrow at eight. Now I have less than six hours of sleep,” Malfoy said, grumpy, opening the door wearily.

“Thank you, Malfoy. I... Thank you,” It was all he could say, impressed by the actions of his neighbour. The pale man turned to Harry with a sneer.

“Appointments are 70 pounds. I can pass you the number of my account or you can leave the money under the door. You know my flat’s number,” He said, coming out into the hallway. “Goodnight, Potter,” Malfoy said before closing the door, leaving a stunned Harry behind, but not in a good way. Draco Malfoy was _decidedly_ an arsehole.

But an arsehole with talent, Harry had to admit. Finally, Albus had stopped crying and, _heavens_ , Harry had to learn those tricks with the doctor. But tomorrow. Today he urgently needed to fall onto his bed and try to recover his lost sleep.

He put the boy in his improvised bed and placed cushions on the child's back to ensure he wouldn’t roll over and fall – even though he read that, at this age, only a week old, he wouldn’t move that much at all. He took a relaxing bath, dressed in his pyjamas again and lied on his bed while still allowing himself to observe the baby sleeping at his side, his delicate mouth open, his jet black hair still somewhat sparse, his bum under his nappy up to the ceiling with the position he was, tummy down. Harry felt his eyes grow warm and tears flow from them. Tears of joy, despair, elation, _fear_. He was a father. It was at the same time wonderful and scary. That small little life depended on him now, and Harry knew without even having accompanied his development, even without having been there when he was born, without even having planned all of this mess; Harry knew from the bottom of his soul, that he would do anything to make sure Albus was happy, and that he would die to never see his little baby suffering.

_\----xx----_

When he woke up the next day, extremely tired and wanting nothing but to go back to sleep, he was welcomed to the living world by sounds with which he wasn’t used. Sounds of movements over fabric, as legs contracted and little hands held tightly a piece of fabric, big eyes looking at him with interest. He reached out, caressing his baby’s round tummy, and was rewarded with a beautiful toothless grin, however small and loose. Harry couldn’t help but grin himself.

He ran to take a quick shower and brush his teeth as Albus was quiet and happy. He’d put on his clothes for work, only to take them off once again, cursing himself for not giving the baby a bath before putting on his outfit. He bathed Albus - this time with extra caution, making sure that the water was warm and holding him carefully – and then he dressed him with the only other outfit Albus had - a bright green jumpsuit, which made him very cuddly. Harry then made toast, holding the baby with one hand while preparing his breakfast with the other, taking more time than usual. He heated up the boy's bottle, leaving it to cool on the counter.

Harry put the tea bag in the mug, poured hot water in and then picked up his phone, dialing Hermione - his eternal salvation - and holding the phone with his shoulder as he supported it against his ear. He checked if the milk was in the right temperature before putting the teat in Albus mouth, who sucked on it hungrily.

“ _Harry! I was wondering when you would call! Tell me that Ginny showed up! We are so worried about-_ ”

“Easy, 'Mione!” He laughed lightly, feeling his stomach rumble, but at the time, he didn’t have enough hands to stick a piece of toast in his mouth. “Yes, she showed up here. You must know what it means.”

“ _Are you with him?_ ”

“Yes,” Harry smiled when he said it, seeing his son’s feet moving as he drank his milk. “I’ll need to take him to work, 'Mione... But I don’t know if I can face Ron if he comes accusing me of... You know? Having abandoned his little sister.”

“ _We talked about it yesterday, Harry... He seemed to understand. If you want, I can give you Hugo’s crib. He is already sleeping on his little bed and all_ ,” The woman spoke. Ron and Hermione had married a few years ago, practically moved in together after they started the university and a few months later, Hermione was pregnant. It wasn’t planned, but Rose was welcomed with great love, and they married even before her baby bump appeared. Two years later, Hugo was born. Harry knew that, to Ron, Ginny’s attitude was simply incomprehensible, mainly because the man had gone through a similar situation. Ron worked with Harry, but as a criminalistic lawyer. Harry preferred to work with cases against big companies and intolerant bosses, a sort of Robin Hood of the law. Hermione was a great teacher of a local school and felt very comfortable working there. She was about to go to her mastering course and was studying hard, so she and Harry were seeing each other very little.

“It would be great, 'Mione,” Harry said, then sighed. “Can you go out with me today? I need to buy clothes, toys, nappies and... Well, everything. I will ask to leave early from work,” he continued and noticed that the boy had just finished his bottle. He put it on the table, finally reaching a toast and putting it in his mouth, biting while waiting for a response.

“ _Of course, Harry! I am free after three_ ,” She said, excited at the prospect of going shopping. Hermione just loved baby layette.

“And... Well, I was wondering if you had a nanny hired? I mean... I need to leave Albus with someone when I go to work...” He heard Hermione sigh on the other side.

“ _Albus, Harry?_ ” She said with emotion in her voice. “ _That's... That's very beautiful._ ”

“Yes, Albus Severus...” The lawyer added, and he felt that she was smiling.

“ _And, well..._ ” she coughed. “ _Anyway, there's no way. I canceled with the nanny after I put Hugo in the kindergarten... But I can get you her phone number later,_ ” the teacher said with regret in her voice. “ _I think they'll have to deal with a baby at work today,_ ” She said, laughing.

“I don’t know if _I_ can deal with him... He misses Ginny...” Harry said with some sadness in his tone. Only at that moment, he realized that _he_ missed Ginny. She had always been a great friend, and now that he was holding in his arms a piece of her, Harry felt the absence of the redhead with much more intensity. Harry didn’t see the woman with romantic eyes, but she had always been one of his best friends, and her presence was more than needed now.

“ _Oh, Harry... We are all with our hearts in our hands. Everything is so messy in the_ Burrow...” she said, referring to the name that her husband's parents had given to their home. “ _Fred and George aren’t talking to Ginny since she said she wouldn’t keep the baby. You know how they love children..._ ”

“I know. But they will understand with time,” Harry said, still exchanging a few words with Hermione before ending the call and finishing his breakfast. He was late, but he had a good reason for that. At least he thought so.

They agreed to meet at the Mall around four o’clock, giving Harry time to go back home and take care of Albus before leaving. He didn’t want the boy having so much stress. He was glad he had his own office at the Law firm and the place was pretty quiet. Maybe he didn’t need a nanny, after all. Maybe only when he needed to go to court because of a big case, which rarely happened.

He put Albus on his portable seat that Ginny had brought him in and hurried to get into the lift. He glanced at next flat’s door, number 304, where Malfoy lived, and all was quiet. He must’ve left. Harry thought no more about it, as he watched Albus’ green eyes looking around the environment, careful, moving his face to capture all the news surroundings. Harry thought it would be uncomfortable for him to sleep in his seat at night, so he chose to sleep with him on his bed. He couldn’t help but think it was lovely waking up in the morning with a baby staring at you.

He went to his car, putting the boy in the back seat and securing him with the security belt so he wouldn’t slip. He wondered if it was safe, but it was what he could do. Harry put his suitcase on the passenger’s seat, along with the boy's bag with nappies, bottles in a thermic bag and new cloths if something happened. He was thinking that he was doing very well for a man who never did this before. He gave the boy a cool name, learnt to clean him and bathe him, fed him, remembered of what he needed to take when they went out. Yes, he was thinking he was great, even if he had researched all of it on the internet like a crazy on the beginning.

 _Holy internet_!

When he arrived at the Law Firm, it was relatively quiet. His colleagues were already in their offices, working on their cases, only the secretaries taking calls and giving short little steps were the main causes of noise. He walked in and went to his own office, putting the boy on the desk and his bag in the closet, only then placing his suitcase on the desk.

“Welcome to daddy’s job, little one,” He said, holding one of Albus’ hands with a silly smile. The boy just looked at him as if trying to identify who he was.

Harry turned on the computer, ready to access his files and start working on his cases. There were few, but he knew that, by the end of the month, he would be littered with papers on his desk. So, when his computer was on, he went to Google, looking for a nanny hiring site. He needed one imediatly, now that he had Albus and couldn’t be bringing him to work, although he didn’t think it would be very uncomfortable to have him there.

He heard the door open and looked up, seeing the woman who had just come into his room. Cho Chang was one of the best lawyers on the firm, and one of the most beautiful, too. She had long, black and straight hair down to her waist, two strands around her head, which left her with a light air, but not so childish. Dark eyes looked at Harry and she smiled.

“You arrived late today. Sorry, I didn’t bring your coffee,” She said. All the lawyers had a consensus that, in alternate days, different people would buy coffee for all of them. Harry’s day was on Wednesday; Cho’s, on Friday.

“All right, I had coffee at home,” He said, watching her carefully.

“I came to bring you the files that Zabini had... Harry, why is your hair white?” Cho frowned, putting the papers on his desk and leaning to dust the man’s raven hair that now had a slightly greyish colour. She pulled away, smelling her hand. “Is this baby powder?”

“Oh, no,” Harry opened a drawer, pulling out a mirror he had used from time to time to be more presentable to clients, watching his hair, that was a little less white than before, due to Cho’s treatment, but not completely. “Sorry is that-”

“HARRY! Is this a _baby_?!” He heard her haunted voice, and it seemed that she had noticed the baby seat at that moment. Cho came around the desk, looking at the baby that was pouting by the high tone in which she had screamed. “Aaawn my God, he’s so utterly cute, Harry!” She seemed to be delighted, holding his little hand, but the boy still had a crying face. To avoid embarrassing situations, Harry took him from where he was, putting him on his arms and shook him lightly so he wouldn’t cry. “Who is this baby? A nephew? What's his name?”

“His name is Albus,” Harry said, smiling with her enthusiasm. The boy let out small cry. Any time now. “And... Well, he's my son,” Harry completed with a tone that sounded as ‘ _I know, it was also surprise to me_ ’.

“Your son?” Cho seemed really surprised. “I thought you were...”

“I _am_ ,” He comfirmed. “It was an old case, right after I finished college. I swear to everything, Cho, it was only once. Only once and it ended up like this,” He said, pointing to the boy with his head, which was now with an angry face. Albus pulled his breath, unleashing an initially small cry, but after a few seconds, increasing to higher levels. “Oh no, Albie...! Not now!”<

But it was in vain, because right after that Albus was crying loudly and Harry didn’t know what to do to calm him down. He wasn’t hungry, he had just finished eating and he was pretty clean... Where was Malfoy when he needed him? Cho's eyes widened and, once again, Harry saw the child being snatched from his arms, and the woman leaned the baby into her chest, mumbling an unimpressive song. Albus snuggled in her comfortable chest, his crying soothing almost immediately. Harry was sure that the problem actually was with himself.

“I'm sorry I frightened you, baby...” Cho said, stroking the baby's face. “Let us introduce you to the staff!” She said excitedly, leaving the room without waiting for Harry's permission.

Soon Albus had gone through almost all the offices, being pampered and spoiled. Most thought it was very strange that Harry was with a baby – few knew of his sexual preference, but everyone knew he was single. Still, Harry took it with a light humour, until he saw Ron’s pale face. The redhead was out of his office when the fuss began, and seeing that heavy tension, the staff understood that a fight was about to happen and walked away, leaving Ron, Harry and the baby in the middle of the firm.

“Let's go to my office,” Harry asked, and Ron followed him with heavy steps, looking very uncomfortable.

When they arrived, the redhead closed the door behind him and Harry leaned against his desk, cradling the baby in his arms, who seemed attentive to the environment and the energy of the two men there.

“Do you want to meet your nephew, Ron?” Harry asked with a slight smile. If the oldest was in doubt, it disarmed him completely. Ron walked over to Harry, looked at the boy and then awkwardly caressed his nephew’s head, staring at him with his deep blue eyes.

“Are you sure he's a Weasley?” Ron asked with a smirk. “He's nothing like Ginny.”

Harry laughed, shaking his head.

“He is only about a week old. I'm sure when he grows up, he will look more like her side of the family,” Harry said, watching the boy, now very quiet in his arms.

“I don’t understand... How could she...” Ron began, frowning. “I can’t see myself without Rosie and Hugo... This is...”

“You are different from her, Ron,” Harry cut him off. Harry knew Ron would say something like that and he wasn’t willing to begin that discussion. It had been hard enough to talk to Ginny yesterday. “Ginny was always different from all of us. Independent, rebellious, self-assured,” He shrugged. “I'm sure that if Ginny were a man, I would never have let her go. But whenever I thought about going to bed with her, I...”

“I know. We've had this conversation before,” The redhead made a disgusted face, but Harry knew he wasn’t serious. “Can I hold him?”

“Of course,” Harry nodded, handing the baby to Ron's arms. He realised that the redhead had more skill in that, holding the child as if he did it – and Harry knew that he did - every day. He couldn’t not smile at the scene. Ron was fussing at his nephew, looking at him with a kind of worship.

“I think it's wonderful, you know?” Ron said, still looking at the boy. “That you welcomed him. I think I wouldn’t be able to sleep knowing that a nephew of mine was around, lost in life and not in the house where he deserved to be.”

Harry was going to answer that, but the door burst open and he pushed away from the desk, looking at his boss with wide eyes.

Blaise Zabini was a wealthy businessman and lawyer of a large family of entrepreneurs - even if his mother had had so many husbands that no one knew quite how it worked. He had dark olive skin, and eyes as black as night. He was a proud man, and always wore the best and most expensive clothes. Harry swallowed. It was hard not to have a crush on Zabini, even though he was completely straight, and a womaniser, by the way.

“Potter, what the hell this kid doing here? I can’t hear anything but this since I arrived,” Zabini said with a serious tone, and Harry looked at Ron, asking for support. Ron tried to get away with the excuse of putting the boy in his seat, and Harry let out a chuckle.

“I got him yesterday, Zabini. I had no time to hire a nanny, but I'll do it today,” He said, trying to sound as serious as his boss.

“Then do it fast. This is a serious law firm, not a Daycare. And try to look presentable by the next fifteen minutes, Potter. You look like a cheap version of Father Christmas,” He pointed at Harry's hair, still half white of baby powder, and left the room closing the door behind him.

Harry took a deep breath, looking at Ron, who only shrugged. He had that child for not even 24 hours, and the kid had already caused a tremendous stir in his life. He swallowed thick saliva, thinking to himself if that had really been the right decision to make.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you all liked it. Sorry for any mistakes.


	3. The perks of being a father

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Harry goes to Malfoy's house to pay him for his help, but finds other Malfoy instead.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Did I take too long to post it? Thank you all for you kind comments and kudos!

When Harry came home later that same day, Albus was much too agitated. The busy day made the baby feel uncomfortable, and Harry was also stressed. He almost called Hermione to cancel their meeting but he knew he couldn’t spend another day without buying the items to his child, and he needed the crib and everything else, anyway. He took the boy out of his seat and put him in bed so he had more freedom, even if his moves were merely little legs and arms shakes, since he was too small to crawl out there – and Harry was grateful for it, or everything would be much worse. Albus looked at him with his green, big and intense eyes, a much cutier version of his father's eyes, and Harry smiled, caressing lightly the boy's head and leaving him on the bed sucking on his dummy, while searching for a clean outfit, one that was cute enough to go shopping. He chose cotton little trousers and a blue shirt, grabbing a nappy and getting his boy clean and perfumed – this time without the help of internet. Harry thought he was doing very well, mainly because when he spoke that stupid childish tone that parents do with their babies, Albus let out a toothless grin, which only made Harry act more childishly.

Fortunately, as soon as Albus was pretty clean and changed, again searching his father with his huge eyes and sucking his dummy, Harry was ready. Soon, they were coming out to meet Hermione at the mall. Albus seemed to enjoy riding in the car, and was quiet as they drove to the meeting point.

When he found Hermione, she was in a cafeteria with Rose, who was drinking a mug of hot chocolate. Rose opened a huge smile when she saw him before Hermione.

“Uncle Harry!” She shouted, running to him and hugging his waist. Harry smiled and hugged her too, touching her back with his free hand, the other holding the boy. “That's my little cousin? Lemme see, lemme see!” She jumped in the same spot, her red hair moving along with her as the curls framed her happy face.

“Easy, easy! Let me talk to your mother and then both of you will talk to Albie, ok?” Harry said, and she nodded. He turned to Hermione, who looked at him with a smile. As he approached, she hugged him tight and kissed his forehead, like a mother would do, brusquely.

“Is this the only way I can see you?” She asked, and he rolled his eyes. Without asking, she was already taking the baby off his seat, snuggling him against her chest and smiling silly. “He's beautiful, Harry...! Just like you!”

Harry laughed as Hermione sat and Rose went to her mother's side, watching her little cousin.

“He’s so tiny,” The girl said, holding Albus’ little hand, which instinctively held her back, looking back and forth to Hermione and Rose. “Cutie!” Rose said, smiling at Harry and turning to look at the baby again.

Both finished their cuppa and hot chocolate as they talked with Harry, and soon they were shopping. Harry didn’t understand a thing of what Hermione was saying, but she did find millions of nappys, a lot of clothes that didn’t fit the boy at all - _yet_ , the woman said. _Babies grow fast!_ \- And other pairs of bottles, although Harry thought he had enough. She bought toys, sheets, hypoallergenic pillows, brushes and baby perfume, shoes, some medicine - _just in case_ , the woman said - children's books, lullabies CD, baby wipes, and a range of things that Harry thought unnecessary, as a pushchair, teethers - considering that Albus had no teeth, and wouldn’t have for a long time, it _was_ unnecessary - among other things, as a pot to boil bottles - he could boil them with _any_ pot, for God's sake - but there was something that Harry actually loved: a kind of "backpack" that he would put on himself and then put the baby sitting on it, leaving his arms free and the baby comfortable.

Soon after, Ron joined them and Harry felt a little more at ease, as Hermione was free to pursue whatever she wanted with Rosie and he could talk to his friend in the meantime. He took advantage of that time to hire a nanny for the next day, a girl named Luna, who had taken care of Hugo when Hermione needed. Harry felt more relaxed knowing that he could work without Albus crying because he felt abandoned or complaints from Zabini during the day because the boy was crying. He spent the rest of the day much more relaxed. After the afternoon shopping, they had dinner at a simple restaurant and then went to Ron and Hermione’s place, where Harry took Hugo’s old cradle and went home with Ron to assemble it. Rose insisted on going with them, and while her uncle and her father worked in the cradle, she watched the boy, who was on Harry’s bed, smiling and holding his little hand on hers.

“I'm your cousin, okay?” She said, with big shiny blue eyes. “I'll take care of you until you are big, all right?”

Albus grinned, and she smiled together, stroking his black hair, making promises for when the baby could play, running and jumping with her and Hugo. She pretended not to hear when her father hammered a finger and Uncle Harry mocked him until he was attacked by a flying piece of the cradle. Rose loved it when his uncle and father were together because they were good friends and always joked and teased each other all the time. She knew Harry was not his real uncle, because he wasn’t brother of her father or her mother, but it was close enough to be an uncle anyway. And now that he had a baby, who was her aunt Ginny's baby too, he was closer to being a real uncle, so it was even better.

When she asked her mother why Uncle Harry wasn’t married to her aunt Ginny, her mum replied that it was because Uncle Harry was a _momo sensuous_ , or something like that, and he liked dating boys rather than girls. She had found it rather odd at the time but now she could accept this very well. He was still Uncle Harry, just as ever, only now had a baby and the baby was her cousin.

After some time - Rose was already sleepy and tired of looking the two men trying to assemble the cradle and the cabinet by themselves - they finally succeeded, and Ron helped Harry to organise the baby things in his new bedroom. When it seemed acceptable and clean, the Weasleys said goodbye, and Harry finally felt the day's fatigue hovering over his body. He fed Albus one last time that night, put him on his new-old cradle, since he was already fast asleep, to finally take a shower and also fall into the dream world.

Harry woke at dawn with a loud ringing sound in his ears. He noticed it was coming from the baby monitor that Hermione had insisted that he had to buy, and was now in his coffee table, telling him that Albus was crying loudly. He rose from the bed, trembling and sleepy, trying to go as fast as possible to the boy's room and taking him out of the cradle as carefully as his sleeping mind would let him. Harry took him to the changing table, taking off the dirty nappy and cleaning his bum with baby wipes, eyes almost closed with sleepiness. The boy was still crying, and Harry was feeling increasingly frustrated by seeing those tears of despair running from his eyes. He put him on a new nappy and put the boy's clothes back. He cradled him in his arms and went to the kitchen, warming a bottle of milk while trying to get him to stop crying.

“Albie... Come on, my boy, what happened? What's wrong?” He wondered at the height of his frustration, checking the temperature of the bottle and waiting until it cooled, giving it to Albus to drink. He stayed there until half past five in the morning, when Albus finally went back to sleep.

Harry felt exhausted. He couldn’t go back to sleep, as he worked at the firm until three on Saturdays and his shift was in just two hours. If he slept, he would certainly not wake up in time, and if he didn’t go to work after what happened the day before, Zabini certainly would give him the same speech as before, and of course, make a point to remind him that for the rest of the week. Harry decidedly wanted to avoid that kind of situation. Therefore, he took a long cold shower to wake up, and had his breakfast of toast with eggs and strong coffee.

Luna arrived half an hour before Harry had to go to work. She was a blonde girl, long hair with unkempt appearance, but had a peculiar grace in her steps and movements. Her eyes were dreamy and her smile distant, but Harry knew by the touch of her hands and the soothing sound of her voice, that she was perfect. He made some usual questions and showed Albus bedroom, where she would find the bottles, the bags of breast milk in the fridge and how often the child eat – at least, that Harry thought was right. It was only his third day as a father, he wasn’t sure.

When he came down to the parking lot, he saw Draco entering his car a few spaces away, and thought about calling his name, but gave up when the blond disappeared into the car. He remembered that, by that moment, the doctor would probably be expecting the payment for his "appointment", and how it had really helped him out Harry didn’t bother to pay it. 

The morning was tedious. Harry didn’t stop thinking about Albus, and called his house twice to ask how the boy was, to what Luna replied firmly with a chuckle:

“Relax, Harry. It's okay, he's a good boy,” And ended up the call. He couldn’t get angry at the informal tone she used, let alone the fact that she turned him off before Harry could say anything. Maybe Luna had powers beyond human comprehension, and therefore was able to control Harry’s mood masterfully.

When he got home, about four in the afternoon, he was surprised by something he wasn’t expecting. He dismissed Luna, asking her to return at the same time on Monday. As everything was well, Harry hired her definitely, so she would come every day in which he was working. He took a shower and changed to casual clothes, looking in his wallet for the money he owed Malfoy and headed to his flat with Albus in his arms.

As he rang the bell, however, he was greeted by a frightened Malfoy, but not the one he was expecting. That Malfoy in particular must’ve been about four years old and was all dirty with chocolate. His hair was so blond that it looked white, and his blue eyes were huge, blinking at Harry with interest. He was very surprised by the fact that Malfoy had a son. Maybe he wasn’t good with babies _only_ because he was a paediatrician, but also because he had to care for his son alone. He knew that his neighbour wasn’t married, because he lived in that flat for almost a year and had never seen him in the company of someone that looked like a wife. But he also didn’t know that the neighbour had a child, mainly because Harry never heard noises coming from that child’s home. What gave him assurance of bachelorhood of his neighbour, in fact, was the fact that Harry had already observed Malfoy hands in condominium meetings, and Draco wasn’t wearing a wedding band.

“Hello. My papa is not home. Do you want to _give’im_ a _messagy_?” The little boy asked, and Harry couldn’t resist bending down and smoothing the boy's head with a light smile.

“Hello, I'm Harry... Are you home alone?” It was Harry’s turn for asking, and the boy shook his head.

“I am with Aunt Gloria. She is very old and dozed off while I was watching Charlie and Lola. Would you like brownies? I still have two, but one is mine,” He said, and Harry opened his smile even more.

“No, I just wanted to talk to your papa. Thank you very much. What's your name?” Harry was still crouching, his eyes at the same level as the little Malfoy.

“Scorpius,” The boy answered casually, and Harry frowned, but tried not to show that he thought the name was strange, because the baby in his arms was called Albus.

“Can you tell your papa when he comes back that I was here?” Harry asked, and the boy nodded, noticing the baby in the man's arms for the first time.

“Is he your baby?” Scorpius asked, and Harry nodded.

“His name is Albus, and he is still very tiny,” Harry replied, and Scorpius smiled at the response, smoothing the dark hair of the newborn with his chocolate free hand.

“You are very cuddly, Albus,” The boy said, speaking to the baby. “My papa takes care of many babies. If you want, he can take care of you too, okay? That's why he works so hard!”

Harry heard it with a smile, but inside, he felt the loneliness in that child’s voice. Being a doctor, Malfoy certainly spent a lot of time away from home, leaving the child alone with the nanny, who apparently was too old and without energy to deal with a child Scorpius’ size. Not that Harry understood children so well, but he knew from experience how it was to have no friends or nice people to play with. And it was extremely lonely.

“Your papa took care of him once, Scorpius. That's why I came to thank him. Now I need to come back home, so... Bye-bye!” He said, and prepared to get up, but Scorpius frowned and grabbed the sleeve of his shirt.

“Don’t go!” He pleaded. “Here is boring... Can I play with Albus?” Scorpius asked, his eyes like a cat’s.

Harry bit his lower lip. Would it be considered kidnapping if Scorpius was just across the hall?

“Only if your Aunt Gloria let you,” Harry imposed, and the smile that Scorpius gave him was enough for him to know that permission was already granted.

Fifteen minutes later, Scorpius was pretty clean, and sitting in Harry's home floor playing with a collection of toy soldiers that Harry had as a child, one of the few toys that the man had at that time, since all he had at the time were just things that his cousin Dudley didn’t want anymore. Albus was in his seat, at a distance that Scorpius couldn’t hurt him unintentionally, but close enough that Harry could reach him easily if anything happened. The blondie smiled and laughed with the crazy dialogues that Harry was creating with the toys.

“Come on! Follow me! We are surrounded!” One of the soldiers in Harry’s hand said, hidden behind a cushion. Ahead, some vegetables and fruits were attackers. “Visitors from the Horti-fruit planet want to destroy us! Tat-ta-ta-ta-ra!”

“Oh no! They are very strong!” The soldier in Scorpius’ hand said. “Tat-tat! Our bullets don’t work!”

“That's because there’s only one way to defeat them, soldier!” Harry answered, and jumped over the cushion.

“How, Captain?” Scorpius asked, his voice full of excitement.

“By eating them all! Aaaaaah!” And the soldier jumped over an apple, which seemed particularly delicious, followed by Scorpius’ soldiers, his cries accompanied by the boy's hot laughter, one that made Albus smile toothlessly.

The rest of the afternoon flew between snacks that consisted of monsters from the Horti-Fruit planet, tickle attacks, baby crying and dinner made of ham and cheese sandwiches covered with cheese, which Scorpius loved, taking the opportunity to dirty their cheeks and hands completely.

The bell rang when Harry was helping Scorpius to wash his face and hands in the sink, and both looked at each other, knowing exactly who was on the other side of the door. Harry tried to leave Scorpius at least presentable, despite being barefoot and with half of his shirt wet with water from the sink. When he opened the door, Malfoy was bathed, his hair still wet, and Harry had to control the urge to let his jaw drop, holding it firmly in place. Draco Malfoy was _decidedly_ attractive. Perhaps Harry hadn’t noticed it because he was busier in finding him an arrogant prick at all condominium meetings, simply because Malfoy thought he was entitled to demand rules that didn’t make any sense, such as the introduction of maximum residence time in pool until 5 pm on weekdays, and until 7 on weekends, simply because his flat was facing the recreation area and he wanted to _sleep_.

Of course, now knowing that Draco worked for days without sleep, everything made sense, even though he could just close the windows and sleep soundly without further problems.

But it wasn’t just the appearance of Malfoy that made Harry feel attracted to him. It was his _smell_. It was the delicious smell that came through his nostrils and took over his whole body. A smell of shampoo, soap and aftershave, mixed with something that reminded him of cedar. He smiled awkwardly, scratching his hornet’s nest hair. Harry must have looked like a rag around him. Albus had thrown up on his shirt, and he had to get it out, but he probably still had a weird smell on his skin. His hair was, as always, messed up, and his denims were baggy, falling by his waist, showing the elastic of his quite old pants.

“Hi, papa,” Scorpius’ voice was short, as if he expected Draco to reprimand him. For a moment, Harry also waited to Draco to reprimand his son for being in a stranger’s house, but the doctor just reached down and hugged the boy, rising with him in his arms and looking at Harry equally serious, but without hardness in his look.

“Sorry, is that... Well, I went to your house to pay the money I owed you, and, well, Scorpius wanted to play with Albus, and he looked a little lonely, so I...”

Draco raised a hand, stopping Harry's talking, and shook his head as if his neighbour was a child.

“Potter, I wasn’t serious about the payment,” He said, as if explaining a joke for someone very stupid. “And I'm not angry that you have spent the afternoon playing with Scorpius. But I would love to know something like this in advance,” The blond said seriously and low this time, and Harry felt some of his guard low down, and he exhaled, relaxed. Still, he wanted to ensure that he didn’t hurt the child.

“Don’t worry, Malfoy. We only played all afternoon,” Harry said, and then addressed to the boy. “Thanks, Scorp. It was a very pleasant afternoon.”

“It was cool!” The boy smiled so openly that Draco couldn’t resist admiring his son's face for a few seconds. “Can I come back later, papa? Please, please, _pleeeeeaaase_! Harry is _so cool_!”

Malfoy sighed, rolled his eyes and stared at the boy.

“I'll think about ... If you eat all your breakfast and do your homework tomorrow without any complaints,” Malfoy suggested, and Scorpius agreed immediately.

“I will do it all, papa, I swear!” He said, and let out a little cry of joy, hugging Draco tightly.

“Well, now he is back,” Harry said, his arms folded across his chest. The blond took some time looking at him before saying a simple _‘Thank you, Potter’_ with his typical cold tone, and went to his own apartment. Before he closed the door, he let Scorpius wave a ‘bye-bye’ to Harry, who corresponded briefly before entering his own apartment, with a small smile on his lips.

He was tired, actually exhausted, and certainly would faint on the bed as soon as he lied there, but he had loved this tiring day. This was one of the perks of being a father. He wondered if Draco felt the same wonderful feeling he felt when he spent the afternoon with a child, make them laugh and learn a thing or two with you. Probably yes. His son seemed to look at him with a kind of worship, even though he clearly enjoyed the afternoon with Harry.

The brunet slept smiling that night, after taking care of Albus and put him to sleep. He secretly wished that Scorpius did all his activities just right, because he was, strangely, craving his presence once again.


	4. New Friends

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Scorpius meets Rose and Hugo.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the late chapter. Any mistakes, please send me a comment!

Dealing with his new routine had been difficult at first. Harry wasn’t used to having so little time to sleep, or being woken up by strident cries. He wasn’t used to having to unravel the mysteries of certain expressions, of small sounds, of small movements, nor was he accustomed to the delicious sensation of having a child sleeping on his chest, of being able to protect and care for that little being that was part of him. He didn’t judge Ginny, much less condemn her, but he couldn’t understand how she could prefer anything instead of it, instead of this contagious love that Harry began to feel stronger and stronger as the days went by. Hermione and Ron’s sporadic visits with Rose and Hugo heightened this feeling, and as he spent the afternoon playing with his nephew and niece, laughing and squeezing them in his arms, he could only think about the new joy he had in that something permanent and wonderful.

 

And there was also Scorpius's new presence. Harry had the feeling that Scorpius waited for him to arrive only to escape to his apartment and cling to his legs, begging Harry to play with him. Harry has adopted a policy of never bringing work home since getting this job, as he knew how stressful this could be and he had no intention of stressing himself out. Besides, as much as he wasn’t the most sociable person in the world, he still wanted to have time to have fun with his friends, and maybe meet a person, go out on a date... He hadn’t done that for a long time now, but it didn’t mean that he didn’t want to, anyway. When Scorpius arrived at his house, he thanked heavens for his free time, even if he was sometimes very tired. It was good to have the mischievous presence of that little Malfoy, who looked so different from his father. He was active, talkative, and fond of making a mess – or maybe he just wanted to do that with _Harry_ , since it was forbidden in his house – and Harry was good at making a mess. The blond asked, every time he showed up, to hold Albus just a little, and the man would let for a few minutes, with the boy sitting on the couch and the little baby in his arms, under the attention and careful protection of his father. The boy seemed to consider it his duty to care for Albus as much as it was Harry's. He was always the first to run to the baby when he cried, and he tried, next to the adult, to guess what the little one was feeling.

 

Of course, there was also Malfoy father, who was constantly coming to take the boy home when he arrived from work. The man always made a point of getting to Harry's house already showered, and with that amazing smell around him. The brunet wondered if he was so tired that he needed to enjoy the little time he had at home without Scorpius to take care of himself instead of picking him up immediately at his neighbour's house. Harry always had to control himself when he showed up, because, of course, that was _Malfoy_ , the always cold neighbour from flat 304, who didn’t smile even when he came to pick up the child at his house.  
Sometimes, Scorpius didn’t show up, and Harry was alone with Albus. On these days, he took the opportunity to check out his social networks, watch the news, watch a movie – as long as Albus let him – and deny any meeting with his friends.

 

This was one of the bad parts. Dean Thomas was a friend who liked to go out to drink and look out for beautiful people when he hung out with Harry and Seamus. Sometimes they dragged Neville alongside, but he always left before midnight. It was always so much fun, and now was something that Harry couldn’t do. He couldn’t take Albus to a pub, let alone go asking Hermione and Ron to take care of him or leave him with the nanny all day. There was a new responsibility that he couldn’t deny, something he couldn’t just let go. From time to time, Hermione called to say that Albus needed to go to a doctor’s appointment, to get a vaccine, or a routine check up. And there were the sleepless nights, there was the crying, there was the fact that Harry had no experience, that he was frustrated not knowing what to do, and getting nervous because of his son's tears. How to take care? How to deal? What the hell was he doing there, all by himself?

There were days when, although he knew he already loved his son, he wondered if it wouldn’t be better if he'd just admitted to himself, almost a year ago, that he was gay, and simply told Ginny that the problem wasn’t that he didn’t want to have sex with her, because he didn’t want to have sex with _any_ woman. Now he spent nights with a tearful baby in his arms, probably with cramps, or, as Malfoy had once said, longing for his mother. And remembering that, Harry missed Ginny, and wished she was there, helping him care for the boy, but he knew she didn’t want that responsibility he had so impulsively embraced. But he didn’t regret it. It had been one of the few right decisions he had made in his life, and now he was proud to have taken Albus with his open arms.

 

Over time, his relationship with Albus was becoming less frustrating, and a bit more intimate. He could already understand the meaning of his son's crying, how he moved, his looks, things that would be natural for a mother. He could now understand certain things that had left him in the darkness before. Albus was still rather fragile and very soft, but he was bigger, chubbier, what made Hermione ask him if he was giving steroids to the child.

 

It had been a little more than a month since Albus came to live with him. On that day, he was sitting in front of the telly, watching a rather interesting episode of _Man Vs Wild_ with Albus lying on his chest when he heard the doorbell ring. He got up, holding the boy carefully and opened the door, seeing Malfoy on the other side, all dressed in white and looking less cold than he always seemed.

 

“Potter,” He said it in the same old tone, but this time, it seemed like a greeting, not just an observation. “I need a favour.” 

 

“Want to come in? Can I make you some tea or something...”

 

“No, thank you. I have to go to work,” the blond said and sighed. It was Saturday, late afternoon, and Malfoy was decidedly upset about something. “I'll stay on duty tonight until tomorrow morning. Usually, I don’t get it on weekends, but I couldn’t change my schedule on this one. Hm...” Harry thought he saw Malfoy's cheeks flushing a little before the request. “Could you stay with Scorpius during this time? He's... He's not handling it very well, and you, for some unknown reason, have a _talent_ with him.”

 

It was obvious that Malfoy was expecting a refusal. His face was serious, but his eyes didn’t disguise the expectation. Harry smiled, and the blond took a deep breath, his shoulders relaxing a little.

 

“Sure, Malfoy. I love Scorpius. I can keep an eye on him without a problem,” He said, and the blond nodded his head in acknowledgement. Malfoy turned towards his own apartment, picking up the child.

When they returned to Harry’s door, the man noticed that Scorpius had a red nose and puffy eyes. He had probably been crying. Scorpius clutched his father's hand tightly and looked suspiciously at the dark-haired man when he arrived. Malfoy crouched in front of his son, talking quietly to the boy. Harry stepped back a little, for he didn’t want to invade that moment, and shortly afterwards Malfoy stood up. For the first time, since Harry moved into that flat, he saw the older blond smile.

 

“It really isn’t a problem, is it? I pick him up only tomorrow morning...” Malfoy said, and his voice sounded hurt. Harry knew he must be feeling awful about having to spend so much time away from Scorpius, but he couldn’t help it. They were all in a day's work.

 

“Don’t worry. He's a great kid and _someone_ likes to wake me up at half past two in the morning,” Harry said, rocking the baby in his arms lightly. The blond smile again, even though it was small and tight.

 

“Thank you, Potter,” Draco said, and then turned to the little one. “Behave yourself, Scorp. I'll be back tomorrow as fast as I can,” Scorpius replied with a nod and a sniff, watching as his father turned his back and stepped into the lift, waving one hand before disappearing behind the metal doors.

 

"Come on in, Scorp?" Harry called, and the boy entered the house cautiously, gripping tightly on the straps of his backpack.

 

"Do you have pink milk?" The boy asked, blinking his huge eyes.

 

"Pink milk?" Harry frowned, and Scorpius sniffled again, nodding.

 

“The one from Lola... Charlie and Lola...” The blond clarified, and Harry was still confused. He needed to watch more cartoons, it seemed.

 

"Let's see if we do, shall we? You can put your backpack on the sofa,” Harry said, and Scorpius nodded, dropping his backpack and following him into the kitchen.

 

Harry rummaged through the things he had and found a can of strawberry powder and smiled to himself. It had been there for some time, and it was already halfway. He looked at the validity and, seeing that it was still okay to consume, placed it on the counter.

 

"Could you take care of Albus for me while I do it?" Harry asked, walking with the blond to the baby's room and placing Albus in the cradle. Albus lay quietly with his eyes open to Harry, and Scorpius stared at him through the bars, very serious.

 

"I'll take care of him, Harry. I'm really grown up!” The boy said, taking it as a very serious assignment, his eyebrows wrinkling exactly as Malfoy Dad did when he was concentrating. The dark-haired man smiled, going to the kitchen and making a glass of milk with the milk powder, leaving the drink in a pretty rose-colored tone before calling for Scorpius. The kid came running to the kitchen and smiled when Harry handed him the plastic cup so he could drink without the danger of breaking.

 

From that moment, Harry could see what he was going to do with Albus in a few years. He would watch cartoons on the telly and smile whenever the little one repeated the lines of a character because he probably had seen that same episode several times. He would feel a kind of silly pride to see that his child could sing the opening song even with all the difficult words and tongue-twisters, loving all the faces he would do, the disappointed pout when the bath time came, and the tight hug when it was time to sleep. Scorpius had slept as Harry smoothed his blond hair, and the man felt a huge commotion take over him when he thought of little Albus, also asleep in his cradle at that moment. One day he would be Scorpius’s age, and would do that wet pout to one of his uncles when Harry was gone asking _‘when will my daddy come back?’_ , a thing Scorpius had done twice that night.

 

The next day, Harry woke up earlier than he wanted. He opened his eyes at the loud noise, and Scorpius was no longer in the bed he had shared with Harry. The noise came from the baby monitor and said that Albus was crying at the top of his lungs. Harry looked at his watch, realising that it was no more than seven in the morning, and inwardly thanked heavens, for it was rare to wake up after six even when Albus was in his best days. He ran his hand over his face, wiping his eyes from sleep and rising from the bed, raising an eyebrow as the baby monitor went silent, with only a few groans and sounds that Harry didn’t expect.

 

“Ooooi, Al! Don’t be sad, your daddy's coming, okay?” Scorpius's voice could be heard, along with a _shshsh_ of a rattle.

 

Harry smiled, walking very slowly to his son's room, standing in the doorway to watch. Scorpius had one arm wedged between the bars of the cradle, swinging a rattle over Albus, who raised his hands as if he wanted to take the object, but failing because Scorpius was holding it too high. The blond spoke to the baby things his father probably said to him and Harry smiled, thinking that Malfoy wasn’t really as cold as he imagined the man was. In fact, when it came to his son, he seemed quite dedicated and gentle... Almost sweet. Harry muffled, trying to deflect the thoughts that were leading him towards his neighbour. Yes, he had already admitted to himself that Draco was a handsome man, who smelled delicious and had a sexy voice, but that didn’t mean he had any chance with the man. Besides, he'd watched him for eight months since he'd moved into that flat, and Malfoy had always been an arrogant, controlling man. Harry, being an extremely proud person who appreciated his own freedom of choice, knew that he couldn’t deal with these two characteristics in one person. Nevertheless, something inside Harry said that he didn’t know Malfoy very well, and therefore, all his conclusions could be wrong. Anyways, he entered the nursery, determined to give his attention to the little Malfoy instead of his father.

 

The morning passed quietly. Scorpius was active and playful, singing with Harry all the songs they both knew. The lawyer noticed how mischievous the blond was, hiding behind the sofa to scare him, or hiding a cookie so he could get one more, laughing mischievously when he was discovered. At 10 AM, Harry called Ron and Hermione for lunch with the kids, since Scorpius was visiting and would probably love to play with Rose and Hugo, who were about the same age as him, despite Hugo being a little younger. He placed Albus in his seat and asked for Scorpius help to make lunch. The boy gave him tasteful ingredients and utensils, and even though he never got close to the stove he felt happy to help.

 

When Ron and Hermione finally arrived with the children, Harry had already prepared lunch – chicken risotto, Greek salad with roasted potatoes and a meat pie, along with a bottle of pure grape juice he had bought a few days ago and still hadn’t opened. Rose and Scorpius made friends almost instantly – she had a _Despicable me_ shirt and it looked like it was the boy's favourite movie. Eventually, Hugo started to play with his toy soldiers and dolls, and they were quite entertained sitting on the living room rug while the adults chatted in the kitchen, close enough to look at the children.

 

Hermione held a sleeping Albus in her arms, looking natural in a way Harry thought was odd. He still hadn’t managed to be natural like that even after a month with the baby, but he didn’t bother too much about it. Women had a natural instinct for motherhood that was lacking in the fathers, and therefore, he had an excuse for not yet being able to hold his son right, despite taking care of him like he would to a china doll.

 

"Whose child is this, Harry?" Ron asked, taking a sip of the beer that Harry had served him, as he watched the kids laughing loudly into the room.

 

“Scorpius. Son of my neighbour,” Harry said vaguely. "He's a paediatrician and helped me with Albus when he arrived. He had to work all day today, so he asked me to take care of his son. Nothing more,” Harry shrugged, and Hermione smiled a little.

 

"I suppose he's as handsome as his son," The woman raised an eyebrow suggestively, and Harry's cheeks flushed red, as he couldn’t help himself. “Oh, he is.”

 

"It's nothing like that, Hermione!” Harry complained, drinking from his own bottle. "Malfoy is handsome, yes, but he is almost a stranger. He never talks to anyone and is a pain in the building meetings. He just made me a favour.”

 

"And you didn’t even think twice about repaying the favour, hn?" She asked again, laughing at Harry's red face. "The boy's mother?"

 

“I never heard of her. I think he’s divorced,” Harry said dismissively, resting one foot on the chair where he sat. "Anyways, I do it for Scorpius. He seems to be a very lonely child.”

 

“An only child?” Ron asked, and Harry nodded. "It must be really boring. I mean, I wouldn’t mind if I had one or two brothers less, but it must be boring to grow up with no one, you know? No one to play, no one to beat up...”

 

"I would love to have grown up without Dudley," Harry said, referring to his cousin. Although they spoke casually and no longer shouted at each other all the time, Harry couldn’t say that his cousin was his friend. A nice acquaintance, so to speak, and the dark-haired man hadn’t spoken to his uncle and aunt ever since he entered college. "But I can’t imagine growing up without him either.”

 

"I don’t think it's really so bad to be an only child when you have friends," Hermione said and smiled at the two of them so that they agreed with her without question. They were always brothers and sister until the relationship between Ron and Hermione became closer and they ended up getting married. Harry couldn’t say that he was a lonely child because he had always had both, but he knew that Scorpius had no friends except for adults. Bringing him closer to Rose and Hugo had really been a great step. "But I agree with Harry, in a way. It is good that children are close to other children. Look at Rosie. She looks radiant with the other two.”

 

"And Scorpius, too," Harry said, smiling, and looked at Ron because he had made a strange noise as if trying to hide a giggle.

 

"What a name for a child..." he remarked, then looked at Harry. “What's his father's name again?"

 

“Draco,” Harry replied, and Ron let out a weak laugh, receiving a murderous look from Hermione.

 

“Sorry, sorry,” The redhead said, recovering without really looking guilty. “Draco and Scorpius... A really unique family,” He said, and laughed a little more, this time with his friends.

 

It was almost dinner time when the Weasleys left. Scorpius made Hermione promise to bring Rose and Hugo to play with him later and just stopped waving to his new friends when they disappeared into the lift and Harry put him back into the house. The night passed quietly. Tired of the afternoon games, Scorpius slept on the couch while watching some cartoon on the telly. Harry laid him on the bed carefully then went to bathe Albus and feed him before putting him to sleep.

 

When he sat down on the sofa later that night, he felt exhausted. The day had been incredibly short and long at the same time, with the children to take care of, the visit of friends... Still, Harry felt wonderful. It was as if he had fulfilled a dream he never knew he had. Caring for Albus – and Scorpius, why not? – was like having the family that Harry always wanted and never had. By chance, Ginny had given him exactly what Harry wanted, without either of them realising it, and now the lawyer was extremely grateful to her for it, even if the redhead wasn’t participating in it at all.

 

Harry didn’t realise he had slept on the sofa until he heard the doorbell ring. He woke with a start, wiping a thread of saliva that had run down his mouth and let out a yawn. He was still dressed in his afternoon clothes, which were now wrinkled and lightly soiled by the children's games. Harry stood still a little sleepy, opening the door and facing Malfoy on the other side. He jumped, but then he remembered that Malfoy had said he'd show up at this time of the night. It must have been late because the doctor had black circles around his eyes and looked exhausted.

"I'm sorry, Potter. I know it’s late.”

 

"You came to get Scorpius," The dark-haired man smiled, moving away so that the neighbour could enter. He left the door open after the man came in. “I'll get him,” He said, handing the boy's backpack to his father before picking up Scorpius in the bedroom.

 

He returned a few minutes later with the boy asleep in his arms. He was careful not to wake him, and he walked very slowly, taking care not to let his legs hit any wall or furniture. Focused, he didn’t notice the strange way Malfoy watched him until he was very close.

 

“Hi?” He raised his eyebrows, and the blond looked at him suddenly and cleared his throat before taking his son from Harry's arms.

 

"Thank you, Potter. I owe you this one,” Malfoy thanked him, and Harry smiled, noticing the way Draco looked at the sleeping child with pure adoration and affection.

 

“Nanny services are 120 pounds. _Per hour_ ,” The brunet teased, and for a moment Draco's eyes widened before he smiled a real smile. Harry tried to keep that memory, noticing how rosy Draco's lips were, how much his teeth were white and how sharp his canines were. He noticed that Draco's mouth was dry, and instinctively he licked his lips as if to moisten those of the other.

 

“Goodnight, Potter,” Malfoy said, before he turned in the direction of his door, taking one last look at his neighbour.

“Goodnight, Malfoy,” Harry answered. He closed the door and let out a faint smile, which he kept to himself.


	5. Coexistence

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Malfoys are even more present in Harry's life.

Harry didn’t notice, but his routines changed gradually. He was already used with Albus, and coming in the third month with his son, Harry noticed that he was much more skilled than when he first picked him up. Ron's visits and Hermione's advice helped him immensely, and he felt increasingly comfortable in his role as father. At that time, Harry began to notice significant changes in how Albus acted with himself, with his father, and with the world. He was moving around much more, his eyes were definitely more attentive and he already made beautiful baby sounds, as if he were trying to talk something. His arms and legs were firmer, and he kicked and hit hard. He would put one hand in the other as if he were thinking, slept less than he slept before, and was now able to sit for a while before slipping to one side. Albus was a smiling baby, and he laughed all the time, especially to Hermione. He always tried to reach the brunette's hair, and when he managed it, he pulled with an iron grip. Albus did the same with his father's glasses, and tried to snatch Uncle Ron's pointed nose several times, laughing at the redhead.

 

Living with a child brought wonderful things, and Harry felt something like intense satisfaction at seeing every little progress the boy made. The boy's eyes grew greener, his hair fuller and, apparently, even darker. It was an incredible feeling to feel like he was doing a good job and he was proud, as if all that evolution was solely on his account. Before Ginny appeared with the boy, Harry felt that the desire to be a father was a dream that would take many years to happen, at least until he found a partner good enough to be together for a long time, and then think about adoption , all the time waiting for its approval, all the bureaucracy... He didn’t expect that one day he would end up with a child in his arms, but the truth was that, after he had become used to that routine, he could no longer imagine his life without Albus.

 

And along with Albus also came, as a consequence, the constant visits of Scorpius. The boy had already slept with him for two more nights at the request of the child's father, and although Harry didn’t talk much with Malfoy, he felt that the fact that Scorpius came home cleaned and with all his body parts attached was a sign that Malfoy could rely on Harry. Besides, after the first time Harry welcomed a tearful blondie crying because he was away from his Daddy, the other two nights he didn’t look so sad. Perhaps a little hurt, but soon enough, Scorpius calmed down and actively participated in all the games with Harry and, when it was early in the day, the brunet asked Hermione to bring Hugo and Rose to keep company with his little neighbour.

 

By the second week of November, Malfoy appeared again at Harry's door. It was a Saturday, and Scorpius was already at Harry's house for a few hours, sitting at the table and drawing. At the sound of the bell, however, the boy jumped out of his chair, waiting for the adult to open the door before shouting ‘Daddy!’ and throwing himself into the arms of his father, who didn’t avoid smiling. Malfoy hugged his son and gave him a kiss on the cheek. Once again, Harry realised, he was already bathed and his hair was damp. He was wearing denims and a black jumper with black shoes that looked very expensive. Harry smiled slightly at the thought that, even though he was casually dressed, Malfoy still looked so formal.

 

“Daddy, I made an _amazing_ drawing!” Scorpius said as soon as his father put him down, running to the table and taking the papers where he was drawing, running back and swaying the drawings in front of the blond. “Look, this is me, and you, and Gloria!” He said, pointing to each of them, then showing the other drawing. Malfoy crouched to be at the same height as his son. "And this is Harry and Al! And here is Rose and Hugo, and their mommy and their daddy too!” His smile was wholehearted, and despite his dirty-painted hands, Malfoy seemed to find each drawing wonderful.

 

"They're beautiful, Scorpius!" You'll be a great artist when you grow up!” The man said, smoothing his son’s blond hair, as light as his own. "But how about we go home now?”

 

The boy took a step back, frowning.

 

"But... But... But Daddy, Harry said he was going to make cheese fondue today!" Scorpius said, and Harry made a guilty face as the other man looked at him accusingly. "Besides, Rose and Hugo are coming, and I _really_ want to show Hugo my new toy car! Please, Daddy, please!”

 

Harry laughed, running a hand through his hair.

 

"They're coming in a few minutes, Malfoy,” Harry said. “You can stay here if you want. I have beer and it won’t be a bad thing to have some more company.”

 

The paediatrician stood up to be at Harry's height - well, _stood up_ , since he was at least three fingers taller than Potter - and seemed to consider the proposal.

 

“Cheese fondue?” He asked, folding his arms.

 

“With servings of whole wheat bread, shrimp, chicken, broccoli, carrots and toast,” Harry concluded, a faint smile on his lips.

 

“Buttered toast?” Malfoy raised an eyebrow, and Scorpius chuckled.

 

“Daddy _loves_ buttered toast!” The boy said, and his father turned to him looking offended.

 

"Now he knows how to win my heart, Scorpius! Thank you for revealing my secret!” Malfoy complained, and the boy let out a delicious laugh, before returning to the table and throwing his drawings there, going to the living room and picking up his Iron Man toy from the floor, watching them both.

 

“It looks like you'll have to stay,” Harry said, and Malfoy let out a sigh, entering the house and looking around. Harry got him a bottle of beer and he accepted.

 

“You know, he's been a lot more active these past few days,” Malfoy said like a confession, watching his son play with his figures. “Incredible as it may seem, in spite of your incredible mess,” The blond pointed to the living room that seemed to have been destroyed by a hurricane, “You're a good influence. Scorpius has never been so active since his mother left.”

 

Harry didn’t want to intrude, but he was curious.

 

“Aren’t you together anymore?” He asked, motioning for Malfoy to sit on the sofa, pushing cushions and plushies off of the object, throwing a plush dragon over Scorpius, what made the boy laugh and throw it back. Harry put the toy on his lap and hugged it with one arm, the other hand taking the beer to his lips for another sip.

 

“We split up a year ago,” Malfoy said with a shrug. “She was with new interests... She got herself an incredible job that made her travel to a different country every four months, earning the triple that I earned. She saw a wonderful opportunity to be more powerful. Astoria... She was never a caring and kind mother. She was never a devoted wife. But I admired her fierceness and her intelligence... When she said she was leaving, I was upset, but I wasn’t really surprised. We signed the divorce papers and she left. She calls from time to time, and she came in about three times to see Scorpius, but that's it... It's like he has no mother. He stopped asking about her months ago,” Malfoy said, low and calm, drinking some of his own beer and letting the air out of his lungs.

 

Harry didn’t respond for a while, watching the boy play, apparently oblivious to the adults' conversation. The brunet smiled, noticing how much he looked like his father. He wondered if there was anything on him that looked like his mother.

 

“Albus's mother didn’t want him. She said she wasn’t ready to be a mother,” Harry said. He didn’t want to sound cruel, but that's exactly what happened. “She showed up one day, handed me the boy, and left. I don’t blame her... But I think we could have solved it differently,” He concluded, finishing his own drink in a long gulp. He seemed to be about to say something when he heard a cry coming from the bedrooms. “Just a minute,” He stood up, placing the empty bottle on the kitchen counter and headed for Albus's bedroom, being closely followed by a very attentive Scorpius.

 

“Is he hurt?” The boy asked, standing on tiptoes when Harry took the baby from the crib, giving a soft kiss on his son's forehead, rocking him lightly.

 

“I think he's just hungry,” Harry replied, trying to hold the baby so that Albus wouldn’t hurt himself by kicking and waving his arms, as he had been doing a lot lately.  
They went to the kitchen and Harry fetched one of the bottles of milk from the refrigerator as Malfoy appeared in the doorway.

 

“Need help?” He asked, and Harry thought about denying it, but it was much easier to do it with both hands and without a baby crying in his arms.

 

“Can you hold him?” He asked, and soon Albus was in Malfoy’s arms, who seemed enchanted with the boy, touching his black hair and caressing one of his chubby cheeks. As usual, the paediatrician was able to calm the boy easily, and Albus was soon staring at him with wide green eyes, thrusting a hand in his mouth and beginning to suck his little fingers hungrily, while his father worked on the bottle.

 

“He's huge,” Malfoy commented, holding one of the baby's feet.

 

“He eats lots!” Scorpius said, standing on tiptoe to watch the boy, and Harry laughed.

 

“Yes. But now he's spending more time active. He learned to roll this week and now I can’t leave him alone anywhere,” Harry said, checking the temperature of the bottle and letting it cool a little more.

 

“He almost fell down yesterday,” Scorpius said, and Harry's eyes widened, stooping down and holding the little blond's mouth.

 

“You don’t have to tell him everything!” He said, and the boy pressed his lips together.

 

“Oops...”

 

Malfoy smiled, shaking his head and pulling a chair, sitting down and watching them with a certain kindness in his eyes. He couldn’t help but think that, although he had never been trained for it, Potter was a dedicated and skilful father, not to mention that he was incredibly good with Scorpius. The boy was fascinated by him, and kept talking in his neighbour for a moment.

 

The sound of the bell distracted the blond's thoughts, and Harry rose from where he was kneeling, picking up the warm bottle now.

 

“Can you give it to him as I open the door?” He asked, handing the item to Draco and following to meet his guests.

 

“ROSIE!” Scorpius shouted, running to the door and squeezing the girl in his arms as she passed through it, laughing loudly and then hugging Hugo, awkwardly as the other boy was smaller than him. “Look, Daddy! These are my friends! Rosie and Hugo!” Scorpius said proudly, pulling the kids closer to his father. “This is my daddy Draco! He takes care of kids like us!” Scorpius said, smiling at them both.

 

Hermione and Ron walked through the door, and the first thing they saw was an adult version of Scorpius surrounded by children. Malfoy seemed to be in his element, giving the bottle to Albus, while answering Rose's various questions and chatting gently with a shy Hugo.

 

" _Gee_ , are you sure he's not available?" Hermione asked, and got a heavy look from her husband. “To Harry!”

 

Harry laughed as he closed the door, watching his neighbour with the kids.

 

“I don’t think so. But we're not here to talk about my lack of relationship, are we? We're here to eat!” He said, approaching Malfoy and introducing his friends.

 

The afternoon was quite pleasant, and the conversation was easy between the adults. The kids were already quite in touch with each other, and every now and then their parents had to get out of their way to check out on the little demons - and eventually intervene in a fight between Scorpius and Hugo, because the older boy didn’t want to lend Hugo his new toy car. Scorpius was grounded for a good 10 minutes, before Rosie and Hugo asked ‘ _please, please_ ’ for Scorpius's dad to get him out of his punishment.

 

Ron initially didn’t like Malfoy father, which Harry already expected. The blond looked rather cold and high cultured, and often, during the conversation, he used sarcastic jokes that Harry found amusing, but that made Ron think he was arrogant. In a way, Harry thought Ron was simply jealous of Hermione, for Draco seemed to get along _too well_ with her, and the two ended up excluding the other adults as they engaged in a philosophical conversation about some books and about how children should be taken care, for form x or y, since both dealt with kids every day. Harry then got the job of dealing with the other lawyer between drinking beer and eating fondue, laughing at the redhead's obvious expressions, and eventually being summoned by his nephew or niece to solve some problem - usually some broken toy or some intrigue between one of the three.

 

For the whole afternoon Harry barely held his son. Albus was passed mostly between Hermione and Draco's arms, but Ron also had his share of holding his nephew and pampering him. Eventually the baby began to feel tired and agitated. In the middle of everything, Harry had to change his nappy, feed him one more time and put him to sleep. When the night was over, he said goodbye to his friends - and his neighbour, who was now closer to him than he was before, which was something Harry never imagined he would be. The house seemed too quiet. Ron helped him clear the mess before they left, and Harry felt lonely when he went to check his son in his cradle. It was great to be with his friends, surrounded by kids, and he felt fulfilled by holding his son in his arms. But still, Harry couldn’t help thinking that it would be so much better if he had someone by his side...

 

He wondered if Malfoy felt the same way. If he felt that loneliness for being a single parent, as the only constant person in his life was his son. Not that Harry was complaining. In these recent months, he had fallen so deeply in love with Albus that he couldn’t imagine his life without him at his side, but he still wanted someone to share it. Someone like Ron had Hermione, and vice versa. He licked her lips, took a shower and decided to end his night. Thinking too much wouldn’t help him, and he knew his thoughts would eventually come back to someone blond, tall and sexy, who happily lived right in front of his house, but who would never give him a chance.

 

-x-

 

Gradually, his encounters with Draco Malfoy became more constant, and Harry didn’t hide the fact that he liked them. Of course, it all started because of Scorpius, who was always at Harry's when he had the opportunity, but somehow the paediatrician was able to erase from Harry’s mind that vision he had of the other. Of course, Malfoy was still an arsehole from time to time, and he certainly had sour comments he couldn’t hold to himself, but instead of finding them impertinent, as he had before, Harry liked Malfoy’s dark sense of humour. He could often see the same mischief in Draco's eyes as he saw in Scorpius, and little by little, he found himself increasingly interested in the blond.

 

He knew that his interest wasn’t in friendship, and although he knew very well that he was interested in other ways in his neighbour, he didn’t let it get over his heart. It was impossible for anyone who was attracted to men to _not_ be attracted to the doctor - even Hermione had admitted that he was like _long-legged sex_ \- so Harry wasn’t upset to realise he was having not very chaste thoughts about Malfoy. He felt that it was natural and that he shouldn’t feel guilty for thinking about his neighbour without clothes.

 

The only problem was that as, the days went by, it was becoming more difficult to focus solely on the sexual attraction he felt for the other. It was easy to disguise his perverted thoughts. Draco didn’t need to know that Harry imagined him naked, or in a bed under him... The question was that every time Harry made a successful joke and the blond laughed, the lawyer felt his heart fail a beat, then beat too fast. He couldn’t stop staring at those mischievous eyes, or long for Malfoy to have tea or dinner at his house with his son.

 

“I think Daddy likes to come here too,” Scorpius said one day while Harry changed Albus's nappy, and the dark-haired man looked at him, frowning his eyebrows.

 

“Really?” He asked, as Scorp held one of the baby's feet and wiggled his little fingers.

 

“Oh, he's always very happy when he comes here,” The boy said innocently, watching the baby carefully. "And he says you're really cool."

 

“Hm,” Harry didn’t know what to say. His mind began to wander, and he felt a warm thrill in his stomach at the thought that maybe Draco felt the same.

 

“Oh, Harry...! _Harry_!” Scorpius shook his hand, his voice alarming. The brunet's thoughts immediately turned to his son, but he wasn’t fast enough. As he turned his eyes to Albus, a hot spill wetted his chest, and he pursed his lips and closed his eyes instinctively, moaning in agony.

 

“Albus! Why do you _always_ do this when you’re without a nappy?” Harry asked, putting a cloth diaper over the boy's penis, while Scorpius rolled over and laughed at the adult's face.

 

"Don’t laugh at my disgrace!" The man said, but he couldn’t sound serious all dirty with baby piss.

 

“Your face...!!” Scorpius just laughed harder, and Harry rolled his eyes, looking now at the baby who laughed toothlessly at his father, not even slightly guilty of what he had done. Harry sighed, wiping the boy with a damp cloth and sighing again as he put a disposable nappy on the baby.

 

“I deserve this,” he murmured, laughing to himself, before putting his son into the crib and asking Scorpius to stand guard so he could take a shower. With a smile on his face, his thoughts were lost for the rest of that day, the presence of the two boys making him happy. He didn’t think about his neighbour any more that day, but when he went to sleep, he had great dreams with a mischievous smile and gray eyes.

 

**To be continued...**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for not posting anything for a long time. Work makes it difficult to focus on fanfiction, and even though I love to be posting everything here, the act of writing and translating takes time and, with work and other stuff (like festivals I usually am part of) it takes a while to post.
> 
> But do not give up on me. This fic will possibly have between 12/13 chapters. So wait a little guys, it will be worth it!
> 
> Posted on 09/10/2017


	6. Water over the bridge

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Guys, I'm really sorry for the lack of att of this fic. Translating is always difficult and I keep having to choose to write originals or translate my old ones. I'll try to post faster now, but I do not garantee it. In portuguese, this fic is almost finished (I'm currently writing the last chapter) so IT WILL end. I just don't know when. Thank you all for being lovely people for me. You are the best <3

“You cannot seriously believe that,” Draco said, looking shocked at the brunet, a bottle of beer in one hand while the other pointed at the lawyer with a potato chip.

 

“It's my opinion,” Harry said, smiling as if his truth was the only truth in the world.

 

“You can’t be serious. Who in the world thinks Star Wars is better than Star Trek? It's bad, full of plot holes, it's...”

 

“Great. I love both the first trilogy and the second, I loved the seventh and I look forward to the new films,” Harry said, picking up the potato chip from between the older man's fingers and eating it unceremoniously.

 

“And I have a Han Solo!” Scorpius shouted, jumping near the couch where the two were, displaying his new toy - that came with a fluffy Chewbacca bear made out of plush.

 

“And now you're luring my son!” Draco made a shocked face, which only made Harry laugh and nod, before taking another sip of his own beer.

 

This kind of scene wasn’t rare. Nowadays, it was common for Malfoy to be at his house, watching some football game – of which he and Harry were fans, though they cheered for different teams and were always competing on it - or just talking about some stupid things, about work and/or about children. Now, ending November, Albus was getting bigger and more active. Now Harry didn’t have to get up at 3 in the morning to take care of him, and he'd started taking fewer bottles during the day - about five or six with bigger quantities. He laughed more openly, a beautiful baby giggle that made Harry melt and kiss him everywhere, which made the boy give him more giggles. Bath time was a mess, with Scorpius trying to help and Albus tapping his little hands and splashing water from the bath everywhere. In the end, the bath always ended triple, and soothed the brunet even when he was exhausted from work.

 

In that regard, Ron was trying to help him as much as possible, but Zabini didn’t care much if he had a baby at home that tired him as soon as he woke up. Harry had a case of a girl who had been fired from her job for cutting her hair too short, with no other explanation. The case was relatively simple, but the company the girl worked for was extremely conservative and had been refusing to get into an agreement for weeks because, according to the owner, _‘they wouldn’t pay any compensation to anyone who didn’t follow the company's standards’_ while Harry knew that there was no contractual clause permitting that. A simple case which was giving him more headaches than he should’ve been having.

 

Despite this, returning home and getting his son back from Luna's arms and, a few minutes later, having an excited Scorpius standing at his door, was something he thanked the heavens for every day. It was tiring, that he had to admit. It was tiring to wake up early, to take care of everything before he had to leave the house, by himself, to have to leave his son with a nanny - not that he didn’t like Luna, but Albus was _his_ son - and to hear the office fuss constantly, divorcing couples and dealing with his case, that kept moving back and forth. Even still, seeing Albus's giggle, watching him learn to roll on the bed and do little push-ups, raising his head and discovering the world with his huge green eyes was wonderful. Harry could not get enough of holding him in his arms, feeling his baby scent, smoothing his black hair and kissing him with all the love he could give him. At times, even when Malfoy was at home, he would lose himself in the care of the child, and he would be embarrassed to see the paediatrician looking at him with a smile on his face.

 

He had never asked why Draco had decided to be a paediatrician. From what he knew - and he knew it more and more as the days went on - he was a man that studied various areas of medicine, and not only that, but he was also an heir of a great inheritance and son of one of England's greatest businessmen, having been trained since childhood to understand economy and financial prosperity. When asked, the blond spoke with propriety, and sometimes even with a certain passion, indicating that it was not a subject that displeased him, but whenever he had the question on the tip of his tongue, Harry was lost in Draco’s smile, in the casual touches of his cold hands and in his intense gaze. Harry knew he was starting a dangerous game. Falling in love with a straight man was the worst thing that could happen in his life, especially now, but he couldn’t control that hot feeling in his heart whenever Malfoy showed up with the little boy at his door, or when they cheered for opposing teams, yelling at the telly and cursing at each other, but eventually laughing like two kids. It was nice to have a friend who understood his dark humour jokes and laugh at them, and Draco had a sharp tongue and innate sarcasm that Harry adored, but that only contributed to that crush on his chest, and it wasn’t right. It wasn’t right to want a guy he started to know just over two months ago. It wasn’t right to want a guy who barely slept because he worked too hard and still had time to play with his son. It wasn’t right to want someone who was becoming his friend by chance.

 

That was what Harry was always trying to remember, that they were _friends_ , that Draco was slowly opening up to him and the brunet didn’t want to destroy this process. He knew his neighbour wasn’t very sociable and would take a while until they were really close, but Harry persisted. The truth was that, sometimes, he wanted to have a friend who understood his own problems, that wasn’t in a relationship, and didn’t push him to get one, and Draco gave him just that, that kind of uncompromising relationship that Harry had long wanted, regardless of both having children or not. From what Draco had said, he had had a divorce a couple years ago because of a personal problem, but mainly because of his ex-wife occupation that made her travel constantly to different countries all the time. She'd been interested in another man, and she had filed for divorce some time later. Scorpius had stayed with him because of his stability and the fact that he had a fixed residence where the boy could be regularly at school. They never signed a contract really, but everything was schematized so that the responsibilities of both didn’t disturb their child’s education.

 

Except that Draco didn’t look happy, really. For the last few days he had been unfocused, his gaze wandering. He was still talking to Harry, but often the conversations would disperse, disappear without them really wanting to. He looked tired, and Harry imagined it should be something work related, since he'd had two shifts last week and had asked Scorpius to stay with him for the night. The next day, the nanny came to take the boy to school shortly before Harry left, and he worried because those absences also hurt the little one.

 

Scorpius was a very excited and intelligent little boy. He was clever and mischievous, had a look of who was always planning a joke and was always laughing and teasing Harry, even though he looked at him with some adoration, as if Harry were the coolest guy in the world. Not as much as he looked at Draco, of course. Scorpius loved his father and talked about him all the time, how cool he was, how he looked after other little children and got very busy, but who played with him whenever he was at home, and how people thought it strange that his dad was so serious, but still played with Scorpius, spinning him in the air. But recently... Recently Scorpius wasn’t as excited as ever. He played, watched cartoons, drew a little, but soon asked to go home, especially when Malfoy wasn’t staying with them.

 

One day, finally, things became clear to Harry.

 

“Daddy said he was tired and he won’t come here today,” Scorpius said as he passed through the door, throwing his things on the floor. The boy looked nervous, and didn’t hug Harry and joked as he always did. Outside, the streets were white with snow, and the glass windows blurred with the December chill. The heater was turned on at high, leaving the room warm and cosy, but that didn’t seem to make the little one happy as he did with the older one. The brunet sat down next to him after putting a sleeping Albus in his crib.

 

“Is there something wrong, Scorp?” He asked, smoothing the back of the boy, who was turning nervously the base of his light blue jumper, so beautiful in his thick winter trousers and blue boots that made him look like a miniature version of his father.

 

Scorpius didn’t answer immediately. He initially squeezed his mouth shut, shrugging without looking at Harry.

 

“You promise not to tell anyone ever, ever, _ever,_ that I said that?” The boy said, and lifted his blue eyes to Harry, tightening his hands on his jumper.

 

“Of course I promise, Scorp. What happened?” Harry asked, his green eyes showing concern. He controlled himself hard not to express so clearly how worried he was.

 

“My Mummy came home today...” Scorpius said, not looking very happy about it. “She and Daddy hid in the bedroom, but I heard them fighting. And then Daddy was very, very sad when she left... I don’t like it when she makes my daddy sad...” Scorpius then stood up, hugging Harry and standing on his lap. The man stood with the boy in his arms, sighing and babbling soothing words to him almost as he did with Albus. The child was tired, and even though he didn’t know the depth of his parents' quarrel, Scorpius was still greatly affected by it.

 

Harry let him have his time without pressing or questioning him. After his feelings calmed down, Scorpius was again watching the telly and playing with his figurines. When Draco came to pick up the boy later that night, he looked dejected, but Harry didn’t ask anything. He hoped the man and Scorpius would be fine after the dust had subsided, and that they would look exactly as bright as before. He didn’t dare to ask what had really happened to Malfoy, even though he was dying with curiosity. He waved them both good bye, as usual, closed the door and checked on Al, who was asleep. He went back into the living room, switching channels to one that didn’t leave him with a headache because of so many coloured images, even though the opening tunes never really left his mind, and he tried to empty himself of any logical thinking before he heard light knocks on the door.

 

He was taken aback when Malfoy reappeared at his door, hands tucked into the pockets of his trousers, his face half sheepish and tired.

 

“Do you have beer, Potter?” The blond asked, and Harry nodded. It was rare that he didn’t have some bottles in the fridge, mainly because Ron showed up at least once a week and Draco did it, too. He didn’t ask anything. He opened the door for Draco to enter, going to the kitchen to get his drinks. When he returned, the door was already closed, and Malfoy was sitting on the sofa, his elbows on his knees, his face hidden in his hands. His fine hair, usually so well-combed, was messy because the man often ran his fingers through them, and when he lifted his head, he had deep, dark circles under his eyes.

 

Harry opened one bottle and handed it to the doctor. Draco drank almost half in a single swallow, then passed his hand over his mouth and opened it, as if to say something, but gave up and went back to drinking. The brunet didn’t really know how to react, so he just sat down next to him, drinking quietly and waiting for Draco to say anything, make a move, make some noise. He then took advantage of that time to observe him. This was something he was doing without any guilt, especially since Malfoy didn’t seem to realise that he was doing it, and Harry would take every opportunity he could to watch the man.

 

The blond's lips were pressed against the mouth of the bottle, and he licked his lips every five seconds, as if he were thinking about how to open his mouth and talk. If he had a beard he would probably be showing up, but Harry could only identify some very fine hairs on his chin and the top of his lip. His very straight hair was messed up, though they were still very well combed, knotless, unlike the rebel curls on Harry's head. In a few minutes, Draco had finished his drink, placing the bottle beside the sofa and taking a deep breath.

 

“Harry... You're a lawyer, are not you?” He asked, and the brunet felt that something difficult was coming. Malfoy had never called him by his first name until now, though he considered the neighbour a good friend. Harry nodded, and the paediatrician continued. “Astoria... She came to visit today.”

 

He paused there for a few seconds, snapping his fingers and then sliding them through his hair once again, turning his face to the other. Harry wanted to hug him, say that whatever had happened would be fine, but he didn’t want to break the mood between them, forcing the other to receive something that he didn’t even know if Malfoy would want, so he looked directly into his eyes, waiting for him to say something, anything that would make Harry understand what was happening.

 

“She said she was getting married in April,” Draco started to say, and Harry felt his chest tighten. Was Malfoy still in love with her? Did he still want her and that was what was killing him? Harry braced himself to be the friend's shoulder, but didn’t expect what came next. “She said that her job had stabilized, that her fiancé was immensely rich and that they were moving to France shortly after the wedding.”

 

He swallowed, and his eyes glittered. Harry knew he was about to cry.

 

“She wants Scorpius,” Malfoy said, his voice croaked, his hands shaking. “She wants my son. Definitely. She wants to take him to France and raise him there,” He narrowed his eyes, as if only by saying those words, his whole world would crumble, as if his heart was destroyed and trampled, broken in several pieces. “When we started the divorce process, the law decided that the custody was shared. It was decided that he would stay with me longer because my house is fixed, I have a stable job. She's gone, barely shows up to see him when she’s in London and now...” The blond shook his head, licking his dry lips and turning to Harry, running a hand through his hair once more. “What can I do? What can I do so she won’t take Scorp from me?” He asked, and there was an obvious tone of desperation in his voice that made Harry think of Albus immediately. He wondered what he would feel if Ginny suddenly appeared and wanted the boy back. He wouldn’t bear it. He had been with his son for only a few months, but it had been long enough for him to cling to the child, enough to know that his heart would break if Ginny took his baby away.

 

He looked at Draco's face and sighed, thinking what he could say. He thought to himself that one solution would be for them – Harry and Draco - to marry and have a stable and productive life for the two children, but of course that was only in his mind. He licked his lips, trying to formulate less compromising words, and ran a hand through his own hair, messing it even more than it already was.

 

“Malfoy ...” He started, but then he thought that, at that moment, formalities would only make the blond look even worse. “Draco... I've never worked with family cases before, it's true... But I can’t help but worry. I consider you a good friend and... Well, I ended up getting attached to Scorpius,” Harry shrugged. “If you want to...”

“Would you really represent me?” Draco asked, raising his hands and holding both sides of Harry's arms. His hands were cold and sweaty, but that didn’t stop the heat Harry felt spreading through his body from them. Draco was so close! It was enough that he could lean down a little and his lips would touch Draco’s. And Harry would probably get punched in the face or something, so he stayed where he was, thinking of what to say next.

 

“Of course,” Harry said, holding up a hand and holding Draco by his forearm - a safe place, he thought. “Obviously, it won’t be easy. It's my first time with this kind of thing. Maybe you can be represented by another lawyer from my firm. Chang, she...”

 

“No, I want _you_ ,” Draco said, shaking his head, and even though it had nothing to do with what Harry was thinking, the butterflies in his stomach were so strong that he thought he would be sick so nervous he was. Hell, why did he have to fall in love with Malfoy? How was it fair? “Say the price and I'll pay.”

 

“Draco, you don’t need to...” Harry tried to begin, but was interrupted.

 

“Tell me the price, Potter. It's my son we're talking about. I don’t want to be pity case. You will be my lawyer and you will be well paid for it,” The blonde reaffirmed, seriously, and Harry had no choice but to nod. He would do this for him, as he wanted.

 

At that point, Harry thought, he would do _anything_ for Draco Malfoy.

 

**To be continued...**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Posted on 07/04/2018


	7. Storm

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally, I managed to translate this chapter faster this time. I hope I can keep it constant, 1 chapter per week. Thank you for all your lovely comments!

Harry returned home with a feeling of a job well done. His was finally done with his case and he was successful. Though he had spent the morning and the entire afternoon in court, Harry felt satisfied. He moved his shoulders in circles as he opened the door to his house and saw Luna in the middle of the room, babbling his baby boy. It was later than his usually arriving time, and he approached the girl, who looked at him with a soft smile.

 

“He's already eaten, bathed, and he's been very quiet all day. Little Scorpius came by, but since you weren’t there, he went home. Do you want me to put him to sleep?” She asked, and Harry shook his head, putting his briefcase on the sofa, taking off his hot suit and tossing it on top of the briefcase before carefully picking up the boy in his arms. He brought his face closer to Albus, breathing in the scent of the baby's forehead and sighing with the delicate smell of the baby’s cologne, and only after, looking at Luna with a smile.

 

“I'll add your overtime extra on the next payment, okay?” She nodded, grabbing her purse and saying good bye to the man, closing the door carefully and leaving quietly, as usual. Albus was practically asleep, but Harry still spent some time in the nursery. He felt amazingly good when he got home and could take him in his arms, feel his weight and smell, observing Albus as he had his little eyes closed.

 

When Albus was completely asleep, he put the boy in his crib and went about with his day. He took a quick but relaxing shower, put his suit in the closet, and put his dinner on the stove top so it would be ready in time. While the noodles were getting ready, Harry opened the files he had on familiar trials. It had been three days since he'd accepted to be Malfoy's lawyer, and since then he'd been reading as much as he could. He talked to his neighbour about the case, and soon they would arrange a meeting with Greengrass as soon as Malfoy tell her about the trial.

 

He still studied for almost forty minutes, eating his dinner without taking the papers off his writing table, before he heard the bell ring. He rose and left the room he used as an office, opening the door and smiling at the figures in front of him.

 

“Harry!” Scorpius practically threw himself on him, and the brunet hugged him, pulling him to his arms and shaking the boy a little, making him laugh. “Look what Daddy gave me! It's Geooorge! Oink-oink!” The boy showed him the little pig George plush, still making piglet noises. “Can I show it to Albie!?”

 

“He's sleeping now, Scorp. You'll have to wait a little bit,” Harry said as he put the boy on the floor, and the small blond sighed, taking off his backpack and putting it on the sofa, as usual, before picking up the cushions from it, throwing them on the floor and lying on top of them to play with his toy.

 

Harry looked at the older Malfoy, who was already inside the house, watching the boy with the same vigilant look as Harry had before.

 

“We set up a meeting for the end of this week, Friday. Is it okay to you?” Draco asked, bluntly. He was a person who went straight to the point, and Harry liked that in him.

 

“Of course, I'm reviewing some cases and seeing what I can do. Honestly, you have already won this case. But let's try the initial agreement, see exactly what she wants. Are you willing to ask for full custody?” Harry asked, calling him into the kitchen with his hand. Draco followed, thrusting his hands into his pockets and nodding.

 

“She barely sees him, it doesn’t matter. At least, not anymore. As I have said a few times, Scorpius was very moody in the first few months, but nowadays, he only feels frustrated when she appears,” Draco said, pulling a chair from the table and sitting down while Harry moved to make a strong cup of tea. “What do you intend to do on Christmas?”

 

Harry didn’t expect that question. In fact, he had even forgotten about it. Christmas would be in ten days, and he had barely noticed the time passing, along with the routine of caring for Albus and Scorpius when he showed up, Ron and Hermione's visits, talking to Draco, and his work... It was like if the last five months had passed so quickly that only now he realised how much time actually passed.

 

“I hadn’t thought about it. I'll probably go to Ron's family house. I do it every year. It's a lot of fun... There's food, a lot of people,” Harry shrugged, and Draco nodded.

 

“Oh, okay,” The answer was simple, and before Harry could say anything, Scorpius came running from the living room towards his father.

 

“Papa! George is very, _very_ hungry!” He said, showing the plush to the man, who raised his eyebrows in mock surprise.

 

“Really? And do you think he'd like some tea and crackers?” He asked, and the boy nodded with a huge smile.

 

“With blackberry jelly!” He added, and Harry smiled.

 

“What a coincidence. I have a pot full of blackberry jelly,” He remarked, and Scorpius seemed to smile even bigger, sitting on a chair and placing George on top of the table, sitting the toy as best as he could.

 

The afternoon passed calmly. Soon after tea, Albus woke up, and the four of them stayed in the room while Scorpius watched another of Peppa Pig's endless episodes, snoring and jumping on the carpet as if jumping in puddles of mud. Harry and Draco commented on what the blond would like about the deal they would try to do with Astoria and the lawyer on Friday, while Harry held Albus as the baby tried to stand up on his lap. The boy still couldn’t sit on his own, but he had enough strength in his legs, and when Harry put him on his lap, holding him by the waist, he would force himself, giving little ‘jumps’ while making bubbles of saliva with his mouth. The boy's green eyes were completely attentive of his surroundings, and his hair was growing full and with beautiful curls forming at the ends, while he liked to repeat the same little bubble sound with his mouth several times. Draco told Harry that this was the stage where the little boy was beginning to make new discoveries, gain more strength, and that soon he would be sitting on his own and wanting to eat other things besides milk. Harry, however, was in no hurry. He liked his little one exactly as he was and wanted him to stay that way for a long time.

 

Soon they forgot about the subject ‘Astoria’. Scorpius kept talking about the cartoons he was watching, and Harry loved to see Draco talking to his son as if he were part of the world of children's songs and colourful cartoons. Gradually, Harry began to understand better each of them - enough to worship Peppa Pig, even if Draco hated every second of the cartoon - to sing along with every opening song he knew with Scorpius and practically devour every piece of information that Draco gave him about the development of his baby.

 

But it hasn’t all been flawless. Soon the days passed, and sooner than Harry expected, Friday arrived and, with it, the terrible meeting with Astoria and her lawyer.

 

Scorpius had stayed at Harry's house with Albus and Luna, while Draco and Harry had gone to the law firm early in the morning. At nine, they were waiting in the conference room where these matters usually happened. Astoria's lawyer, Leon Mason, a tall man with brown eyes, brown hair, and a calm expression on his face, asked for the meeting to be at a branch of their agency in London. As the case had been opened by Astoria, they agreed, and were soon there. A few minutes later, Astoria and her representative arrived, sitting on two chairs facing Potter and Malfoy.

 

Mason and Potter greeted each other with a polite ‘good morning’, but Astoria and Draco just stared at each other. Draco even nodded, but the woman gave no sign that she recognised her ex-husband's existence.

 

“So, Misters Potter and Malfoy, I believe it is more feasible to get straight to the point,” Mason began, and seemed extremely professional, a positive point. “My client, Miss. Greengrass, is resorting to the joint custody agreement of minor Scorpius Hyperion Malfoy, four and a half,” He picked up some documents and placed them on the table so they could be displayed. They were documents registered in a notary's office, with a declaration of income, fixed housing, stable relationship, among others. “Ms. Greengrass is asking for the total custody of the child, considering that she has, at the moment, stable housing, a fixed income, a scheduled marriage, besides being able to give almost integral attention to the child and a high level education.”

 

“Scorpius already has a high-level education. He's a Malfoy,” Draco retorted venomously, and Harry looked at him out of the corner of his eye, before lightly touching his arm so he would let him speak.

 

“We know this is a delicate matter, since Ms. Greengrass is asking for something that can be considered very troubled for a child as young as the little Scorpius. Mr. Malfoy is a paediatrician, and he knows profoundly the behaviour of children at this age and knows how aggressive this would be to the little one, leaving a routine where he sees his father every day to live in a completely different country,” Harry said, pulling his own documents himself. “You can see that Mr. Malfoy has had a fixed house for over six years, a steady fixed-income job, and an excellent relationship with his son, who has become accustomed to his mother's almost complete absence during the time Mr. Malfoy and Ms. Greengrass got divorced. I don’t think there is any real reason to have recourse to the agreement already set. Ms. Greengrass can continue visiting her son on her trips to London, where he is already set and satisfied with his own life, having a great education, a healthy and stable home,” Harry said, and Astoria laughed lightly, her tongue cracking.

 

“A stable home? He has lived alone for more than a year. The boy stays with nannies practically all week and he spends days away from home,” The woman accused, folding her arms across the table. “In France, Scorp will have a family, full dedication to him, maybe even, who knows, little brothers and sisters? What's he got with you, Draco? What more can you offer him, when it was your fault that he lost the family he had?”

 

“He has more love with me than you ever gave him! One year, and you came to see him three times!” Draco spoke in a measured voice, his body barely moving, but Harry could see his hands shaking under the table.

 

“I had a job that filled me up, but now I can be the mother I've always wanted. And I can’t leave him in that lonely place with your _kind of people_ anymore,” She said, and Harry frowned.

 

“Ms. Greengrass, Mr. Malfoy, I think we should focus on the case in question...” He tried to say, but Draco ignored him completely.

 

“My kind? The human kind? The kind that gives attention to their children?” He asked, his jaw muscle trembling. “Of course you have no qualms about raising a child, Astoria.”

 

“And you have?” She asked, raising her eyebrows. “What do you think your son will think of you when you take your first fuck-boy home? Or have you already done it, and he doesn’t care? Are you trying to turn my son into a goddamned pederast like you? Did you know that, Mr. Potter?” She turned to Draco’s lawyer, her face livid. “Did you know he destroyed Scorpius's family because he's a sick homosexual? I only share custody with him because of the law. If it were up to me, my son would never have an abomination like him as a father.”

 

Harry opened his lips in shock, surprised by her words, and swallowed hard. He didn’t know what to say, and Draco looked at him as if he was hurt by his reaction. But Harry was shocked. He didn’t expect it to happen, nor did he imagine, in his wildest dreams, that marital and guard cases would be that way.

 

“Mr. Malfoy, Ms. Greengrass, I don’t think we can continue to deal with this agreement now. The moods are very agitated,” Harry said after clearing his throat, and the woman's lawyer nodded.

 

“I think we can arrange another meeting...”

 

“No,” Malfoy said, his eyes cold as he rose from his chair. “See you in court, Astoria. Now, justice will decide,” He turned and walked out the door. Harry hurried to put the documents in his briefcase, rising quickly.

 

“Good morning, Mr. Mason, Ms. Greengrass,” He said goodbye, trailing behind Draco, finding him entering the lift. He could barely get inside before the doors closed, and when he stood side by side with the blond, the silence was deafening. The button for the subsoil was already pressed, and then the vehicle moved.

 

“Are you having second thoughts about the case, Harry?” Draco asked, and his voice was so hurt, _so hurt_ and so vulnerable that the brunet couldn’t resist lifting a hand and touching him on the back as if he could calm him down.

 

“I'm just even more certain that you're the one who deserves Scorp's full custody. Don’t worry, Draco. We're together, okay? You won’t lose your child,” Harry assured him, and Draco nodded.

 

The drive to their flats was long, and the longest way was the parking path to Harry's apartment. As the brunet opened the door, a cry of ‘Papa!’ invaded the room, and soon Scorpius was in his father's arms. Draco held him tightly, as if he were afraid Astoria would come and steal him any minute.

 

Seeing that scene, Draco holding on to his son as if he were his safe harbour, with eyes filled with tears he refused to shed, Harry was sure, more than anything, that Draco deserved that child, and that Scorpius needed of his father more than anything else.

 

Astoria better prepare, because now, it would be _war_.

**To be continued...**


	8. Bittersweet Christmas

Harry was tired. God, he was _tired_. His routine had never been so rushed since he'd started working, simply because he'd never been so forcefully engaged in a case before. Whenever Scorpius's face appeared at his door, cheerful but at the same time more serious than usual, Harry felt something inside his chest bubble with anger. He wanted to protect that child, protect what Draco had created around them, protect that family that had been through so much together.

 

Harry didn’t quite understand what it was like to have a family, to be honest. He had lost his parents very early on his life, and had been raised by his uncle and aunt, who only accepted him because of the maintenance they received from the government and the money they could receive when Harry became of age. However, at the age of eighteen, Harry finally received free access to his parents' account, as well as a house from his godfather - who happened to be a fugitive from prison, but _that_ was beside the point. The fact is, having a fugitive godfather and relatives who mistreated him wasn’t at all what he might consider a real family. Not when he had the Weasleys to compare. Not when he saw Ron, Hermione and his two ’nephew and niece’.

 

Not when he was looking at Draco while he was talking softly to Scorpius and thinking about how much the blond loved his son. Not when he looked at Albus and thought about how much he himself loved that little boy. It was only when he thought of Albus that Harry felt the taste of _family_. When he took his son in his arms, cradled him and took care of him. Only when he felt his cologne smell and baby protection ointment, when he heard his light and delicate giggle. At that moment, Harry knew what it was like to have a family, and that sensation only made him more committed on winning that case for Draco.

 

The office was closed for the Christmas recess, but that didn’t stop Harry from studying all he could about the case. He has made records of all events since Draco and Astoria were married. He got photos, videos, electronic conversations; everything Draco could give him to help them in that case. He made copies of the divorce certificate, wrote down dates of conversations where Astoria scheduled to visit the child and didn’t show up, and records of the unscheduled visits she'd made. He took testimonials from neighbours and friends, anything that could help him know the woman even more, and the more he questioned and sought, the more he realised that winning this would be difficult for Draco.

 

Along with that, there were still the festivities. It was a few days before Christmas, and the streets of London were littered with Christmas choirs, thick snow and hurried people looking for the best Christmas trees and the best gifts. Harry wasn’t the type to fill his house of Christmas decorations, and along with the work he was taking on the case while caring for Albus without calling the nanny, all of this went unnoticed until the day Ron forced him out of work to assemble his Christmas tree along with his nephew, niece and Scorpius.

 

Little Malfoy had already set up his own tree with his father a few days ago - and Harry realised, with a little pain in his heart, that he hadn’t been invited to decorate the tree with them. Maybe Draco wanted as much time as possible with his son, because the fear of separation was taking over him, so Harry tried to ignore that feeling. They were friends, of course, but they were not _family_. Anyway, now he was feeling more excited about Christmas than he had been before. Rose, Hugo, and Scorpius were screaming, jumping and laughing around the tree. Ron was making sandwiches while Hermione was engaging in a long and very important conversation with Draco. They both gesticulated and talked so fiercely that they seemed to be in the middle of an argument, but Harry just laughed at them. Albus was in his baby pack, lying on his father's chest while sucking on a finger, his green eyes observant on what the other children were doing.

 

“Don’t you think it's better to put the red around the gold one, Scorp? The tree is already green,” Harry said as he untangled the green ribbon from the blue so the boy could put it on the tree.

 

“I like green!” Scorpius reaffirmed, jumping in the same place, waiting for Harry to give him the ribbon as soon as possible. As soon as the brunet had done so, Scorpius ran to Rose, who was taller and helped him wrap the already too-much-decorated tree with the new ribbon.  
Laughing, Harry barely felt it when he was lightly tugged at the sleeve of his shirt, turning and seeing Hugo's huge brown eyes staring at him, as shy as ever.

 

“Uncle Hawwy... I want to... Put the star on the twee...” he murmured, the golden plastic star looking huge in his hand. Harry had to control his whole being not to squeeze those chubby cheeks and bite him, and then called the other two after they wrapped the Christmas tree with the ribbon – that more like a mummy because of so many coloured ribbons wrapped around the foliage.

 

After a huge argument about who would place the star, the two elder children helped to decorate the star so Hugo could put it up there with his father’s help, who raised him, big hands around his waist while the boy laughed delighted with his work. They ate sandwiches and drank grape juice while the adults ate pizza with wine, laughing and commenting on the Christmas plans.

 

Throughout the conversation, Draco watched Harry as if he wanted to say something all the time, but also as if he didn’t have the courage to verbalise what he wanted to say. The brunet noticed, but he also kept quiet because he didn’t want to annoy either his best friends or the man he was interested in, especially when he knew the blond was particularly nervous these last few weeks. So when he realised that the conversation was taking a turn that Harry knew would come around the notorious question of _‘where are you going to be at Christmas?’_ , he strategically changed the subject to something healthier, like Rose shedding grape juice on the rug and Albus waking up and crying out loud, saving Harry from having to disappoint some of his friends.

 

Anyway, even when Albus, already fed and cleaned, had gone back to sleep, and Ron and Hermione said goodbye - with Hugo sleeping in the woman's arms and Rose crying because she wanted to sleep with Scorpius even though her parents said she couldn’t -, he was with the same bad feeling in his chest. As he closed the door, Malfoy was seated on the couch, his son sitting on his lap, Scorpius’s head resting on his chest as he sucked his thumb, his free hand tucked into his father's hair, slowly stirring and making a curl out of a strand. He hugged the man's waist with his legs, his feet almost tucked behind Draco's back. His eyes blinked slowly, and he was almost asleep when Harry sat down beside them.

 

“Are you going to celebrate Christmas with the Weasleys?” Draco asked, a hand caressing the boy's back in a circular motion. His eyes seemed almost imploring, and Harry didn’t want to answer that question.

 

“Perhaps. It’s what we usually do... Why? Are you thinking of something?” He asked, and Draco bit the inside of his cheek before answering.

 

“It's just... These last few days ... Scorpius is so much more needy. He cries a lot when I go to work, he just wants to sleep in my bed, he's having nightmares where he has to go away... I wanted this Christmas to be... Great for him, you know? From what you told me, Astoria has a good chance of winning the case and... Maybe this is my last chance, you know?” Draco said, breathing deeply. His expression said nothing, but Harry could see in the glint of his eyes and in his choked voice, how much he was holding inside. “He wants you to be with him for Christmas. And... I wish you were, too.”

Draco's gray eyes looked at him with such intensity that Harry had to swallow dry, his heart pounding. It even looked like he was interested, that he wanted... The blond's eyes were slowly closing, his body approaching Harry's a few inches, slowly, making his whole body shake. Harry was also getting closer, knowing that this would be the time when he would finally feel Draco's lips against his, that he would feel how soft and delicious his lips were...

 

“Is Harry coming to Christmas with us?” Scorpius's small, husky little voice asked, and the two adults leaped away from each other. Draco seemed to recover sooner, but Harry still had to blink a few times to clear his mind.

 

“Are you coming, Harry?” Draco asked, and the tone of his voice was full of hope. Harry looked from father to son, eyes so identical, and his answer couldn’t be different.

 

“Yes, of course. I will be there.”

 

\- - -

 

When Harry agreed to spend Christmas with the Malfoys, he ended up with a beautiful problem for himself: how could he explain that he wouldn’t spend the holidays with the Weasleys?

 

There was very little time left for the fateful day, and he still couldn’t explain that he wouldn’t be with them. The truth is, he was putting off having to talk to them about it. To think that he could disappoint his family made him nervous, and he avoided having to feel this nervousness more than necessary. However, mere two days before Christmas, he had to say something. He had already done most of his Christmas shopping, including wonderful gifts for all his nephews and nieces - immediately putting labels on each one so they didn’t get lost - gifts to Albus, simply because he was never tired of buying little things for his baby, gifts for friends. He bought presents for Draco and Scorpius as well, and in fact, these were the first ones he'd bought, too nervous to attend their Christmas party with nothing in his hands.

 

Day 23 was there, knocking on his apartment door, and he was bottle-feeding Albus when he heard a non-figurative knock on his door. He sighed, walking to the door and looking through the peephole, controlling a grunt as he saw Hermione on the other side. He opened the door with some difficulty, as it was hard to hold a chubby baby, a bottle, and open the door at the same time, and let her in. Hermione was wearing a bonnet over her curly hair, and despite the heavy coat and gloves, she was visibly cold as she entered, her plump lips dry from the cold.

 

“God, it's horrible outside,” She commented, and Harry laughed as she took off her gloves, her bonnet, and her heavy overcoat. “What's up, how are you? Besides visibly busy?” Hermione smiled, pointing at the baby who moved his legs over Harry’s arms.

 

Harry must have gone pale, because he immediately thought of what he had to say, and his hands were sweaty. He licked his lips, not knowing exactly what to say, then shrugged, because he really didn’t know what to say or how to act. He wasn’t afraid of Hermione, but he didn’t want to upset her at all, especially since celebrating Christmas with the Weasleys was a tradition he didn’t want to break, really.

 

However, apparently that answer was the wrong one, because she raised an eyebrow, crossing her arms and looking at his face.

 

“Harry, what happened?” She asked, and when he looked away, she tugged at his chin, forcing him to look into her eyes. “Is there something you want to tell me?”

 

Having been discovered, Harry licked his lips and sat on the couch, being followed by her and practically sinking with the boy in his arms, watching the child. Albus sucked on the bottle's nipple, his pink mouth wet with liquid as his huge green eyes looked into his father's face, occasionally making cute little breathing sounds. He allowed himself to watch his baby's chubby cheeks and little hands holding the bottle tightly, to get some nerve somewhere inside him, and finally speaking.

 

“It's just... This Christmas...” He started, and Hermione waited for him to continue, but he didn’t seem to want to elaborate.

 

“You're not staying with us, are you?” She asked, and Harry was relieved that he didn’t have to say it himself, but his friend's tone was enough for him to know that Hermione didn’t expect it. “Is there any problem? Is it because of...?” She glanced at Albus before looking into her friend's green eyes.

 

“It’s not it,” He was quick to deny it. He had to admit that he wasn’t very eager to see Ginny again, but Harry didn’t believe she would want to steal his child from him as Astoria wanted to do with Scorpius. “It's just... Draco and Scorp are going through a very delicate moment and... Draco asked me to stay with them for Christmas, and I didn’t dare deny it,” He said, frowning and giving his friend a doggy look, so that she would realise that he was indeed feeling bad for not going to the Burrow.

 

However, when he expected her to look at him with disappointment, Hermione smiled sympathetically, raising a hand and touching his shoulder, as if she understood exactly what he was going through.

 

“All right, Harry. They are important to you, and I believe you are doing the right thing. Don’t worry, I'm sure the Weasleys will understand,” she said, caressing his arm before pulling her hand away. “But this wasn’t why I came here. In fact, more or less. I wanted to know how you would do these holidays. I mean, Ginny's going to be here and maybe the situation will get a bit tense... Me and everyone else wanted to know if you wouldn’t be for New Year as well...”

 

“No, I'll be there for New Years,” Harry assured her, moving the boy lightly in his arms. He had finished drinking the milk and was blinking sleepily. “I'm not mad at Ginny. Yes, it will be difficult, the last time we met wasn’t exactly a walk in the park, but I will not stop her from seeing Albie or avoiding approaching her. Ginny is still my friend. If she doesn’t want to be my friend anymore, that's not _my_ problem,” He said, and Hermione smiled again, nodding.

 

“That's very good, Harry. Really, it's good to see that you don’t have bitter feelings about it,” the woman said, and Harry licked his lips.

 

“I'm not going to lie and say I don’t feel anything; I wish she was present in Albus's life, but I understand her reasons and understand that this is not what she wanted out of her life,” Harry shrugged. “Besides, it made me feel what was like having a son, and that's wonderful.”

 

They still talked for a good part of the afternoon, until Hermione said she needed to leave. She stated that she would notify Ron and the Weasleys, and left with the gifts Harry bought for everyone, which she would distribute for him on Christmas Day.

 

After that, the days passed too quickly. In the blink of an eye, it was already Christmas Eve, and the man's mobile phone kept ringing with recommendations for happy holidays and a happy Christmas. He was getting more and more nervous as the day passed, constantly thinking about what to do while he was with Draco and Scorpius. It was a joyous time, but even so, he couldn’t stop thinking about what it meant to Draco. It wasn’t just a festive season, where they would eat and drink with joy, but it could also be the last opportunity to spend Christmas with the person he loved the most. Harry couldn’t stop thinking about what might happen if Astoria won the case, how painful it would be for Draco.

 

Of course there wasn’t a law that would stop Draco from seeing his son - he might not be the child's legal representative if he lost, but he was still the father and would still be. The big problem was that the boy would live in France, and probably be infected by the horrible thoughts of Astoria, which would poison the child so that he believed that ‘being like his father’ was a disease. That was the main reason Harry fought: knowing that Scorpius would be poisoned by Astoria's destructive thoughts if he failed, made him fight even harder. He needed to grow up in a loving environment, full of love and affection, and certainly with a mother like he had, he wouldn’t grow that way at all.

 

By the time the night came, Harry was dressed in a green jumper and jeans, with green converse shoes - he couldn’t help it. He loved green and had lots of green clothes, and he thought it was a great opportunity to use both at the same time. He put a jumpsuit on Albus, a light green jumper (to match daddy's), and tiny shoes, that were practically impossible to shove in Albus’s little mousy feet, and the little legs that wouldn’t moving for a second. After he had brushed his baby’s black hair and tried, unsuccessfully, to control his own hair, he left his own for Draco's flat, the little one on his moses and under the object, the gifts he would give to the Malfoys.

 

It was the first time he'd actually entered Draco’s flat. The place was exactly like his, but it had a lot more elegance in the furniture and the way it had been arranged. There was no clear signs that there was a child in there, but Harry knew this was because Scorpius had learned early on to organise all his toys. When Draco opened the door, he gave him a slight smile, but he also looked nervous.

 

“Hi,” he greeted, a closed-lipped smile forming on his face.

 

“Hi,” Harry replied, and smiled the same way, but he opened his smile even more when he received a hug around his waist.

 

“Harry, you came!” Scorpius practically shouted, pulling his face away from his waist and giving him a huge smile, jumping in the same place. “And Albus, too! There's a lot of food, come, come!”

 

And he left, pulling Harry by the hand, while Draco only nodded with a smile on his face. Draco had earlier said on that day, by message, that his parents were spending Christmas in France and that they would only come by New Year, so there would be just them. Harry didn’t care at the time, but now that he was alone with him, he wondered if he might not feel more comfortable with more people.

 

The truth was that he didn’t know why he was so nervous. He had been alone with Draco and Scorpius several times, but there was probably something more about attending a celebration with the guy you liked and his son, especially after the ‘almost kiss’ that was going to happen a few days ago and about which they haven’t talked about since. Harry was good at pretending things hadn’t happened and apparently, Draco was too, so they started to talk about the food they had at the party, about the songs the blond had put in to play and about the quality of the wine. They talked about what the Weasleys thought about Harry spending Christmas with them, about what Harry had learned about the case, about the safe things they always talked about.

 

But as the night progressed, wine was consumed and the Christmas dinner was appreciated, the glances began to grow more intense, the conversations more intimate and slower. After supper, they sat next to each other, while Scorpius played with the cars he had won from Harry, and the book the brunet had bought for the paediatrician was placed on a shelf. Harry had received the uncut version of Star Wars’s first trilogy, and had spent some time teasing the blond about the sacrifice he had made to buy it. Albus had got soft toys for his teething phase, and was sleeping while holding one of them possessively.

 

Eventually, Scorpius had slept on one of the sofas, and Harry and Draco kept talking on the other one, the bottle of wine practically empty, the smiles easier, and the conversation lighter.

 

“You know, I was kind of nervous about being here at Christmas,” Harry confessed, his head resting on the sofa as he looked into the blond's face, a hand touching his shoulder.

 

“And why is that?” Draco asked, his eyes fixed on the greens as much as Harry's were fixed on his.

 

“Well... Because whenever I look at you, I feel like getting closer... to ... Hm... To hug you... Maybe kiss you... And after that last time...” He said, even though he knew he shouldn’t, but the drink gave him nerves that he didn’t really have.

 

Draco raised his eyebrows, as if surprised, and brought his hand to Harry's hair, stroking his scalp and making the brunet shiver with the unexpected touch.

 

“Why don’t you, Potter?” Draco's voice was husky and low as he asked, and Harry's heart thudded. He couldn’t think of anything beyond this moment, of what was happening at that moment, and before he could think of anything else, he approached Draco, pulled him by the waist and pressed his lips to his, feeling an electric current pass all over his body and even more so when Draco's hands clung to his hair and pulled him closer, pulling out a moan from Harry’s throat, who tightened his grip on his waist. It wasn’t a soft kiss, light and slow. It was a kiss full of despair, teeth and tongue, a kiss without any tact or delicacy, but the best of Harry's life.

They drew back, breathing heavily, and a smile appeared on their lips, already thinking about what would follow. Harry got closer, but before he could kiss him more, he heard footsteps on the floor and turned to the side, looking as Scorpius scratched his little eyes.

 

“Papa... Bed...” he demanded, throwing himself into Draco's arms. The blond pulled the boy into his lap and kissed the top of his head, giving a slight smile to Harry.

 

“See you tomorrow...?” Draco asked, and Harry nodded. The paediatrician stood with the boy on his arms, but before Harry could walk away to get Albus, Draco grabbed him by his wrist, giving him a soft kiss on the lips. “Thank you, Harry. I loved spending Christmas with you.”

 

Harry swallowed, grinning slightly and nodding.

 

“Yes, me too,” He answered, and Draco walked away.

 

Harry knew that the blond was feeling too much stuff at the same time. It wasn’t exactly a happy situation. He was afraid of losing his son, feeling alone and scared, but for some time... A few seconds during that kiss, Harry could feel that there was something between them, and something that could grow and develop. Now he could only think about it that night, and when he put Albus in his crib and lay down on the bed, feeling that a very specific part of his body was equally excited, he realised that he no longer had to be so afraid. Maybe he had more chances than just being friends... Harry slid a hand down to his cock in his pants and gasped. That would be a long night...

**_To be continued..._ **

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> posted at 04/23/2018


	9. Happy New Year

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another chapter of this fic. Sorry for the delay on posting this. Real life sucks. I hope you enjoy!

It was two o'clock in the morning, and Harry couldn’t be more pleased that he wouldn’t have to work the next day. In fact, he was very satisfied with other aspects of his life at the moment, such as the fact that his lap was being occupied by a five-foot-nine blond doctor, and his mouth was moving eagerly against Draco’s. Harry knew he had missed kissing and touching someone else, but he hadn’t imagined that he was missing that _so much_. The moment Draco's lips parted from his, he couldn’t wait two seconds without gluing them back. His hands were holding him firmly in place by his hips as Draco's fingers curled into his hair, pulling at the black curls as he sighed in his mouth. Soon everything started to get too hot. Harry's hands went down and up Draco’s legs, gripping his arse-cheeks and pulling him closer as his hips moved upward, tearing moans and grunts from them. Harry felt a slight pain in the base of his head, where Draco pulled his hair, but he couldn’t care less. His hands moved into Draco’s shirt, climbing up his back and making him shiver. Draco's skin was warm, and it was so incredibly soft under the lawyer's calloused hands that Harry couldn’t stop imagining himself running his hands all over his body. The same hands went to the front of the doctor's body, his thumbs caressing him in circular motions. Draco pulled his mouth away from Harry’s, his body leaning back as a repressed moan tried to come out of his mouth. Scorpius was sleeping on an improvised mattress in Albus's bedroom and they didn’t want to wake him, but Draco was feeling so much pleasure that it was difficult to hold back.

 

  
“Harry...” he murmured, staring at Harry with lust filled eyes, breathing deep and trembling all over. “Let's go to the bedroom... I need…”

 

  
Harry nodded, his vision as lost as Draco's, and they got up from the sofa awkwardly. Harry took Draco's hand and pulled him down the hall towards his bedroom, but stopped halfway. Draco slammed against his back, and moved a little sideways, confused.

 

  
“What...?”

 

  
“Papa?” Scorpius's sleepy, confused voice was heard. He had flushed blond hair and sleepy little eyes. “Water…”

 

  
Draco stepped out from behind Harry blinking, surprised. He was still breathing heavily and his whole body was warm. He looked at the other man, swallowing and smiling half-way at his son.

 

  
“Come on, Scorpie. You’ll have water and then back to sleep, right?” He asked, taking the boy by the hand and leading him toward the kitchen, his other hand waving for Harry to go to the bedroom. “I'm coming. Go.”

  
Harry headed for the bedroom, hoping he would put Scorpius to bed soon so they could finish what they were doing. He took off his shirt, lying on the bed and closing his eyes for a moment, letting his body calm down. He wasn’t as hard as he had been before, but he knew that with the least encouragement, he would be aroused again. He and Draco weren’t boyfriends yet, at least neither of them had asked for each other in courtship, but since Christmas, two days ago, they were at each other’s flats, and they'd snogged each other senseless whenever they were alone. That day, however, they had decided to stay together a little later. They’d wait for the boys to sleep, and finally get in bed together. Harry admitted that he was tired and sleepy, after all, he spent all day playing with Scorpius and Albus. The little Malfoy kept running, screaming and jumping, happy that his grandparents were finally arriving for the New Year; yet he wanted to spend that night with his lover _so much_. They didn’t even need to have sex, really... If they could touch each other until their orgasm would be good enough.

 

Harry wondered what it would feel like to have Draco's icy hands on his body when he opened his eyes, startled. He didn’t realise he had fallen asleep, but apparently had dozed off. He looked around for Draco, but he wasn’t there. He rose from his bed and went to the door. The lights were all off except for the dim light in Albus's bedroom. As he entered the bedroom, Harry stopped short after he had passed the door, and though he was a little saddened by the events, he couldn’t help but smile. Draco was lying on Scorpius's mattress, hugging the little one against his chest, sleeping soundly. The lawyer sighed, covering them both with a blanket. Apparently, their time together would have to wait some time. He only hoped it wouldn’t be that long.

 

  
***

 

  
Harry made a point of being discreet when it came to his relationship with Draco. After three days of seeing him every day, Harry discovered a few things about his neighbour. He was addicted to selfies and taking pictures of his son, which meant he had several pictures of Scorpius with Harry, Harry with Albus, Harry and himself, Albus photos doing any cute little baby thing, and still other photos of Scorpius with Albus, and even Rose and Hugo when they went to visit them on the 28th. Harry didn’t tell his friends that he and Draco had kissed, but after the first time Harry turned around to speak something discreetly with Draco and casually touched his lips on Draco’s ear, Hermione soon pulled him to a corner and asked “when, how and why”. He briefly explained that they were “having _something_ ” and that they were waiting to see how that relationship would blossom.

 

  
“Be careful, Harry,” She said, even though she was clearly happy for him. “You're in the middle of a lawsuit. This can be played against you, and no one wants Draco to lose his son...”

 

  
“I know, Hermione,” He answered. “We're being careful.”

 

  
And so, although the blond had lots of photos of everyone on his cell phone, he hadn’t uploaded any on the social networks - even that adorable picture of Scorpius and Albus on the playing mat that became his and Harry's favourite. But Harry liked that. He didn’t know if that relationship would work, so it was better to be cautious. Besides, as Hermione herself had said, they were in the middle of a lawsuit against Astoria and Harry didn’t want to risk unnecessary conflicts.

 

  
Anyway, at the moment, Harry was facing worse problems. The firm was closed since Christmas and would only open on January 3rd for its normal activities, so the work Harry had to do he could do at home on his personal computer. In fact, his service as a lawyer wasn’t at all what worried him now. With his free time, he was getting closer and closer to Draco, who stayed at his house for a long time after work. Being a doctor, it wasn’t as if Draco had many days off, having been dismissed at Christmas, but had worked non-stop on days 26 and 27, returning only at night to pick up Scorpius at Harry's. Sometimes, he spent the night there, as it was in the case of the 28th, when Draco spent the whole day at Harry's house. They were visited by the Weasley kids and ended up on the sofa with Harry, until interrupted by a thirsty Scorpius.

 

  
Well, Harry was thirsty too, and it was hard to quench his thirst.

 

  
That night, having covered a sleepy Draco, he returned to his own bed and slept almost immediately. His body felt as heavy as stone, and he didn’t even bother not having showered. He'd take care about it in the morning. He only took off his trousers and fell on the mattress like a dead man... And after what seemed like five minutes, he startled awake with a huge _bang_. He practically jumped out of bed, the sunlight blinding his eyes through the glass window. At some point in the night, Draco had crawled under his covers, and now he had practically jumped on it with shock.

“What was this?!” Draco inquired, a little frightened, looking for his jeans in a nearby chair and thrusting his legs inside it as fast as he could. Meanwhile, Albus had begun to cry in the next door, practically exploding the baby monitor. Harry dressed in shorts he always left on the side table for when he was home and ran to his son's room to calm him down. Draco walked in with him, but Scorpius wasn’t there.

 

“I'm going to look in the kitchen.” The doctor announced, leaving boy’s bedroom the moment Harry took Albus in his arms.

 

*******

 

  
Draco's heart pounded with concern, and he hurried to the kitchen, pausing in shock at the doorway. Scorpius stood in front of the fridge, which was open. The shelves were all out of place, the items previously inside the appliance were now scattered on the floor, and the little boy was dirty with milk from head to toe. He clenched his little hands together, staring at the mess on the floor, not knowing what to say. His blue eyes were wide, and he pressed one lip to the other, knowing he would be scolded.

 

  
“I... I just wanted pink milk...” He tried to explain, and Draco swallowed the urge to laugh. He had to be serious now. It was even harder when Scorpius, in desperate measure, began to try to arrange the shelves inside the fridge, slipping onto the milk on the floor. “I'll fix it, okay?”

 

  
“You're not going to fix anything, young lad! Go to the bathroom!” Draco ordered. He could still hear Albus's desperate cry somewhere in his bedroom. “Look what you did; now Albie won’t stop crying! You need to be grounded!”

 

  
"No, Papa! No, please, no grounding! I'll fix everything, I promise!” The boy raised his hands to hold his father's jeans for begging, but Draco grimaced and took a few steps back.

 

  
“No way, you're going to get me dirty! Go to the bathroom, we will talk about your grounding later!” He clapped his hands, and the boy ran away as if he were being pursued by a whip.

 

Draco sighed, putting his hands on his waist and looking at that mess. God, what a great start on his relationship he was having. And at Potter's house. Not that he was much organised, but at least regularly there wasn’t milk on the floor. Draco approached the refrigerator, putting the shelves in place and arranging the items that were not broken or dirty inside it, closing the door. He went to the kitchen counter, searching for plastic bags. Harry had this bad habit to store plastic grocery bags instead of buying his own trash bags. Draco picked one up and turning it inside out, cleaning up the dirty and broken items, like some eggs, then turning it the other way around and throwing it in the bin, with a disgusted expression. He'd clean it up later... Or simply convince Potter to do it, even if it was his son's fault.

 

  
When he arrived at the bathroom, Scorpius was already naked, standing in the middle of the bathroom with the guiltiest expression in the world. Draco rolled his eyes, turning on the tub’s water and checking the temperature.

 

  
“Scorpius, why didn’t you ask me or Harry to get the milk for you?" He asked, and the boy came up with a shrug.

 

  
“Everyone was asleep...” Scorpius tried to justify himself, his neck wet because of the milk that ran down the strands of his hair. “And I know how to do it myself!”

 

  
“Yes, you proved that you know how to destroy other people’s houses, all by yourself! I should have you clean it up!” Scorpius’s father said, taking him by the waist and putting him in the bathtub. Scorpius kicked the water that gradually filled, looking away. He was as pale as Draco, and though he was a little over one metre tall, Draco knew he would be a very tall man if he could believe on his long legs and long feet. “You're going to apologise to Harry for breaking his stuff.”

 

  
“It's all right. But...!”

 

  
“No ‘buts’; you're in trouble.” Draco narrowed his eyes, and began to bathe the boy now that the tub was already filled almost to the top. He didn’t have the boy's shampoo and soap there, but he used what he had. Inside one of the drawers in the bathroom closet was a child's soap, and it was the one Draco used. If he had to, he would replace it later. Scorpius managed to forget that he was grounded, jumping in the bathtub and leaving Draco sopping wet, only stopping after the man threatened to ground him for even more time.

 

 

Eventually, Harry appeared at the door. Draco didn’t see him, but he heard his giggle.

 

  
“Do we have a small refrigerator thief?” He asked, and Draco sighed.

 

  
“Sorry, Harry! I didn’t mean to! The milk was too high...!” Scorpius said shortly, before Draco could say anything. “I just wanted a little, just a little bit, of pink milk...!”

 

  
“It’s okay, Scorp. But you know you can ask us if you want anything, don’t you?” Harry asked, calm but apparently tired.

 

  
“I know... I'm sorry, Harry. It's just that everyone was asleep...” He pouted guiltily, raising his pale eyes to his father, clasping his hands in front of his tummy. “Papa... Can I have _a little_ pink milk after the bath...?” He asked, putting his thumb together with his forefinger, and closing one eye to demonstrate. Draco sighed.

 

  
“I'll think about it.” It was his response, and Harry laughed, heading for the kitchen.

 

 

***

 

  
When Draco arrived, everything was already cleaned and Harry was making toast and tea. Scorpius got his pink milk, but he had to spend the whole morning without watching cartoons, which irritated him greatly since it was his favourite time to watch cartoons. He played on the rug while Harry and Draco talked, and Albus stirred as he was passed from Harry's arms to Draco’s and vice versa. The men were close, and couldn’t resist a few light kisses, but Harry turned completely red when Scorpius watched them intently.

 

  
“Papa, why are you kissing Harry on the mouth?” He asked, his blue eyes blinking and his voice low as if he were asking a secret. “Is he your boyfriend? Can you date a boy?”

 

  
Harry swallowed visibly, looking from Scorpius to Draco, and Draco to Scorpius, and vice versa. Draco was looking at his son, opening and closing his mouth, not really knowing what to say. Neither of them had realised, in the midst of the conversation and the mood between them, that the boy was watching them. They hadn’t agreed on whether or not they were dating, and now Harry was a little afraid of knowing the answer, knowing what Draco thought about it. It was still too soon, and they were in the middle of a lawsuit. Luckily, they wouldn’t get Scorpius's testimony at court, just an intimate conversation with a designated psychologist, who would keep secrecy, showing only the essentials to lawyers, but still...

 

  
“Hm, Scorpius...” Draco rose from the couch and knelt in front of the boy. “Do you think it's ugly for Papa to kiss Harry?” He asked cautiously.

 

  
Scorpius thought for a moment, looking at Draco and then at Harry, looking back at his father.

 

  
“It's weird,” The boy said, fiddling with the Iron Man figure in his hands. “But I like Harry. Is it okay, Papa? If you kiss a boy?”

 

  
“I... Scorp, Harry and I are different from other boys. Do you know Hermione's husband? He likes kissing girls,” Draco said, and Harry could feel the fear in his voice, and the caution with which he spoke to the child. “But me and Harry... We like boys more than girls. You understand this?”

 

  
Scorpius looked sideways at Harry, then at Draco, nodding.

 

  
“What would you think if Harry were my boyfriend?” The older Malfoy asked, and Scorpius thought for a moment before smiling.

 

  
“It would be nice! We would play here all the time, wouldn’t we, Papa?” He asked, and Malfoy gave a relieved smile, pulling the boy into his arms and squeezing him tenderly.

 

  
“No problem, then?” Draco asked as Scorpius stepped away from him.

 

  
“No! Harry is cool, and not annoying,” He turned to Harry, showing his hands on a thumbs-up. “But kissing is disgusting! Ew!” He declared, finally, sitting down again and restarting to play.

  
Draco returned to the sofa, and Harry realized that his hands were shaking. Harry held them between his, smoothing his delicate white skin with his rough thumb.

 

  
“Are we dating, then?” He asked, and Draco gave a low laugh that looked more like a sob, a tear trickling down one of hi eyes before he could stop it. That moment seemed too important to him, and Harry did n’t think twice before raising his hand and wiping the other's face when the next one fell.

 

  
“I think so.” Draco replied with a smile, and didn’t complain when Harry hugged him, kissing his temple and smoothing his back.

 

 

***

 

 

December 31th. Harry checked Albus's bag one more time, seeing if anything was missing. His hands were sweaty and, more than ever, he wanted Draco to be by his side. If he was nervous at Christmas, now he couldn’t even understand what he was feeling. He was going to the New Year's supper at the Weasley’s - and that meant _all_ the Weasleys. For the first time in months, he would see and talk to Ginny once more. Albus was making happy little baby sounds, sitting in his portable crib and thrusting his whole hand into his mouth, chewing on his little fingers. Harry took the boy's hand away, replacing it with a dummy and wiping his hand, smiling as he watched the cute figure of his son. Albus was so big already, so beautiful. His black hair was thick, he was sweeter, he smiled more often, and he loved to give open mouthed kisses.  
The fact was that Harry couldn’t hide himself. The Weasleys were waiting for him and Draco was happy with Scorpius and his parents at the next door. Harry couldn’t just appear and decide to spend the New Year with them. Besides, the Weasleys were his family, even if not from blood, and he couldn’t just disappear. With that thought, he took his son and his belongings out of the house. He would pick up his godson from his grandmother's house, and shortly afterwards he would go to the country house where Mr. and Mrs. Weasley were still living.

 

  
The journey to Andromeda’s house lasted about 40 minutes, but for Harry, it was more like 40 years. Albus laughed and made delicious sounds while Teddy made faces at him, and Harry just hoped everything would be all right. His godson barely left his house. His father, Remus, who was a close friend of Harry’s father, died in an attack shortly after the boy was born. Remus had a congenital disease in the immune system, and unfortunately, Teddy had the same disease. He was a lively and excited little boy, who needed care and couldn’t leave home so often, living with his maternal grandmother from an early age. His mother had died in the same attack that killed his father. Teddy didn’t remember any of them, but he was extremely attached to Harry, and Harry always visited him. With the arrival of Albus, seeing Teddy had become more difficult, but he intended to make up for his absence.

 

  
When they arrived at the Weasley’s house, he opened the gate to the makeshift garage and parked on the large terrace. The Weasleys were by no means rich, but they were a very old family and The Burrow, which was how they called the house, was antique, made of various rooms and renovations. They bought it for a very cheap price and kept recreating it for their needs. The terrain was large and there was always room for one more son, or daughter-in-law. Harry had been the only ‘son-in-law’ of the family. He didn’t know if Ginny had got herself a new boyfriend in the meantime, but he hoped that if she had, he wouldn’t be there. It would be difficult enough with the woman by herself.

 

  
When he entered the house, with a bag on one arm and a baby on the other, he was greeted by shouts from little devils. There were children running everywhere, laughing and playing with whatever Uncle George had brought. The man owned a toy store, and the children always had a full arsenal.

 

  
“Uncle Harry!” He heard from several directions, and he had to prepare for when three children hugged his legs. Rose, Victoire, and Dominique squeezed him tightly, and he laughed as Hugo and Louis ran behind them, trying to find a space between his legs.

 

  
“Hi! Are you excited for the party?” He asked, and many screams of ‘yes!’ could be heard.

 

  
“Can I hold Albie, Uncle Harry? I'll be careful, I swear!” Rose asked, shaking her hands.

 

  
“Rose, you're too _small_. _I'm_ going to hold Albie,” Victoire said from the top of her one metre and twenty, crossing her arms. The smug expression and the blond hair made Harry think of Draco with affection. “I'm the oldest.”

 

  
“No, _I'm_ the oldest.” Teddy intruded, crossing his arms in the same way Victoire did. The girl glared at him and snorted, stepping off.

 

“You can’t hold him, Teddy. Not standing up, at least. You know that.” Harry said as the boy looked up at him excitedly. Teddy sighed, and Harry was momentarily free of children as the boy ran to where George was, probably wanting to get a present too.

 

  
In about five seconds, Harry found himself stripped of his bag and son. The bag was near the sofas, next to the still decorated Christmas tree, and Albus was in Angelina's arms, being pampered by Fleur and Penny, who carried baby Molly on one side of her waist. The little girl's red curls were partially hiding her eyes as she smiled shyly at Harry.

 

  
“Why is that, every time I come to his house, Albus is kidnapped after five minutes?” Harry asked, and someone laughed at his side. He turned to Ron, who was drinking a beer, shaking his head.

 

  
“The moment a baby gets into this house, they become property of everyone, except the parents. You should be thanking. Now that Hugo is older, I'm trying to get rid of him, but he’s no longer cute like that,” He jerked his chin towards Albus, who blew bubbles with his mouth and laughed heartily when they burst. “Come and get yourself a drink. The night will be long.”

 

  
Harry knew what Ron was talking about. Apparently, not everyone had arrived yet. Charlie wasn’t there, neither was Fred - probably trying to organise his twins for the party - and of Ginny, there was no sign either. He thanked the universe, internally, for this, and forgot the time. He was without Albus in his arms, because he was being pampered by everyone in the family, and decided to drink fizzy drinks because he didn’t want to risk driving drunk, although he knew that he would need alcohol to take the strain. Even as he talked to Ron and Hermione - and eventually having to calm down Hugo, who was crying copiously because Teddy didn’t want to lend his toy cars - he felt the tension on his shoulders, growing bigger whenever someone arrived. Charlie was the first, laughing and hugging everyone. Molly had to disguise her tears as she hugged the second oldest. Last year, Charlie couldn’t attend the New Year’s party because he was an archaeologist in Romania and the trip was complicated. It had been months since he'd shown up for any family reunion.

 

  
Soon after, Fred arrived with Katie, holding Gabriel and Artemis firmly by their hands, but soon letting the children get lost in the middle of the others. Gabriel immediately ran to his cousin, Francis, son of George, showing the new Hulk figure he had got for Christmas. Artemis was pulled by Rose and Roxanne almost immediately to the playhouse that the girls made with some Christmas tree ornaments and some dolls.

 

  
When Ginny arrived, it was less than an hour before midnight. Albus had returned to Harry's arms about forty minutes earlier, and the man had changed his diaper and given his bottle. The little one was almost asleep in his arms when the environment went practically silent, except for the children, as Ginny entered the room.

 

  
“Hi, everyone,” She smiled a little disgruntled, trying to avoid looking at the place where Harry was, as if she could pretend she hadn’t seen him.

 

  
“Ginevra!” Molly stepped out of the kitchen, past the sea of people and pulled her daughter into a tight embrace, looking at her and smiling fondly. “You are so beautiful! And so strong!”

  


Ginny laughed, an easy laugh that Harry had always loved on her lips.

 

  
“That's what five months of intense training will do to you.” She hugged her mother one more time, and it was as if the coldness of the moment was slowly melting. Her brothers greeted her, though Ron looked rather dry. Even after the greetings, she didn’t seem interested - or brave enough - to turn to Harry. Until Fred, with no scruple, spoke up.

 

  
“Gin, have you seen your son yet?"

 

  
Ginny’s whole body tensed, and for the first time in the night, she turned her face to where Harry was. The man was rocking the baby lightly, and Albus made a face as if he wanted to cry, feeling the heavy atmosphere. Harry put the dummy in his mouth, which seemed to calm him, but the boy still had half-drawn eyebrows.

 

 

“He's not my son.” She said in a dry voice, but in her eyes, Harry could identify, there was hope. Her brown eyes were bright and wet, and Harry smiled sideways, shaking his head.

 

  
“He may not have your name on his birth certificate, Gin. But I didn’t do this child by myself,” Harry said, approaching her with all the courage he had. He had to get through this. He didn’t want to have this rift between them, and most of all, he didn’t want this rupture between _Ginny and Albus_. They had the same blood, they were _family_. Albus would grow under the wings of the Weasleys, there was no escape from their proximity. What to say when Albus asked where his mother was? That aunt Ginny had had him, but that she wasn’t his mother? “You know, some nights he cries for no reason. D-... His paediatrician thinks he misses you,” Harry said, and Ginny sniffed audibly. “Do you want to hold him? He's already stronger and all.

 

  
She laughed a wet laugh.

 

  
“Can I?” Ginny asked, raising her hands without much certainty. He nodded, moving closer and placing Albus in his mother's arms for the first time in months. Ginny didn’t have a knack for child caring, and Harry needed to fix Albus in her arms, as Draco had done with him so long ago. Albus looked at her curiously, and Ginny looked fascinated, staring at the boy with her lower lip trembling. Her breath was heavy, and the effort she made while trying to keep from crying was visible.

 

  
“I've been... wondering… for so long... Wondering if I made the right decision...” She sobbed, sniffling, a tear trickling down one cheek, followed by a second on the other cheek. “Feeling guilty every day. I couldn’t sleep for weeks, wondering if he was okay, if he was scared, or cold. I spent so much time wondering if I hadn’t given you a responsibility bigger than your arms,” She coughed, lifting her head, more tears streaming down her face. “But Harry... He looks so beautiful... So big, so strong,” She looked into his eyes, a tearful smile on his red, moist lips. “You're an incredible father. Singular. I could’ve never done it. But look at him...” Ginny turned her eyes back to the baby, lifting her freer hand and smoothing his thin black hair. “So much like you. I'm sure people would believe if you said you did him by yourself.”

 

  
Harry laughed, lifting a callused hand and wiping the woman's cheeks, holding her chin affectionately.

 

  
“No matter what brought us to where we are today, Gin. He’s your son. He’ll always be.” Harry answered, and the smile she gave him was bright.

 

  
The woman lifted her son, who smirked around the dummy, raising his little hands and tapping her cheeks before letting out a delicious giggle. Ginny followed with a laughter, and hugged him against her, closing her eyes and taking advantage of the feel of the calm weight of Albus against her chest. Harry supposed that it was so long since she felt it, she'd forgotten how reassuring it was.

 

  
Harry let her take advantage of their. It was the least he could do. There was a fear in him, something that tightened in his heart, a fear that one day Ginny might want Albus again, as Astoria did now with Draco. But the other side of him remembered that this was _Ginny_. As much as she was sarcastic, hot and impulsive, she still was truthful with her words and was honorable with everything she did. She would never do anything that would hurt Albus or Harry.

 

  
A few minutes before midnight, everyone was in the yard with their champagne glasses, children running in the open space. The count until the end of the year passed too quickly, and upon seeing the couples around him, Harry wished he could be kissing Draco at that moment.  
As if by magic, his mobile vibrated in his pocket, and he jerked away from the embrace he was receiving from Angelina to look. It was a message from Draco. His heart warmed before he even opened the app to see the content:

 

  
_“Scorp and I wish you a Happy New Year! We miss you! Let's hug each other today?”_

  
Harry felt like hugging his mobile, but he managed to answer:

 

  
_“If you're awake when I get home, maybe even more than hugs.”_

 

  
The man didn’t have to wait long for the answer.

 

 

_“I'll be waiting. My parents are going to take Scorpius to the hotel where they are staying and they’ll only return the boy to me on Sunday night. Do you know what it means?”_

 

  
Harry's heart thudded as he read that message. He finished drinking the rest of his champagne and took a deep breath. He knew _exactly_ what that meant. That is, if Albus didn’t cry all night for some reason.

 

  
_“You bet I know. I’ll come back before two. I’ll text you.”_

 

  
Draco didn’t respond with a text message. He sent a picture of him and Scorpius smiling at the camera in his living room. Harry looked around, finding Albus blowing bubbles in Hermione's arms and making the woman laugh. He walked over to her, opening his mobile camera and asking her to take a picture of him with the little one.

 

  
After the first photo, an avalanche of photos began to be taken with everyone who wanted to get a picture with the newest member of the clan. After the third, Harry was already tired, but managed to get rid of the photos after the traditional family photo - which took ages to be taken, with children complaining that they wanted to play, and someone who always blinked or winked.

 

  
After all the photos were taken, they finally enjoyed the dinner prepared by Molly, Penny and Fleur. When Harry glanced at his watch, it was fifteen minutes past one in the morning. Teddy was asleep on the sofa, and Albus was once again in his portable crib, Ginny watching him closely. He smiled, watching them both. She didn’t resist smoothing the chubby cheek, or the thick hair, the little fingers, all of him. He couldn’t judge, because he knew he did the same, even though he had been with Albus for months. When they were all relaxing in the living room after dinner, George and Angelina announced they were leaving, each with a child on their shoulder. Harry seized the moment to say that he would go too.

 

  
“Honey, you know...” Molly approached. "If you want a little free time tonight, I can take care of Albus for you,” She offered, and Harry was surprised at the request. “Don’t worry. It's just that I've never been with him for a long time and... Well Gin's sleeping with us today. I think it would be good if she... You know? Created some kind of bond with him.”

 

  
Harry bit his lower lip, looking at his sleeping son quietly. That would be great. He would go home and enjoy the night with Draco without any interruption. But he was worried. He had only brought three bottles, and one had already been consumed. He would probably take another one in the beginning of the morning and another one in the middle morning. He had enough nappies, but what if something unexpected happened? What if it was very cold? He had only one jumper in his bag, despite being dressed in warm clothes.

 

  
“Harry. I raised seven children. I have twelve grandchildren. I know how to take care of a child.” She raised an eyebrow, and he nodded, still worried.

 

  
“You'll tell me if anything happens, won’t you?” He asked, and Molly smiled, hugging him tightly.

 

  
“Happy New Year, Harry. Enjoy and get some sleep.” She nodded, and he sighed, taking Teddy in his arms, who hugged him without opening his eyes. He did the same process back, leaving the boy at Andromeda's house, who was still awake. She was smiling, and as Harry led Teddy into his bedroom, she talked.

 

  
“My sister came by today. In fact, she left only a few minutes ago,” Andromeda commented. “Her grandchild is lovely. Too bad Teddy wasn’t here for them to play. The boy’s not that much younger.”

 

  
“The cool sister or the crazy sister?” Harry asked, wrapping the boy in his blankets and putting the stuffed puppy under one of the child's arms.

 

  
“The boring sister. _I am_ the cool sister.” She laughed. She was slightly drunk, Harry could tell.

 

 

“Narcissa and Lucius will be here just till Monday. Bella disappeared in the world and I hope she remains missing. After she got together with that Lestrange bloke...”

 

  
And as Harry headed for the door, she described all the insane things her sister had done, even if she herself had been removed from the will by marrying a middle class.  
Harry tried to control himself so he wouldn’t speed up to his own house. He arrived a few minutes before two o'clock, and he sent a text to Draco as he took the lift.

 

  
“Arriving home. Awake?”

 

 

The message was visualised but not answered, and Harry felt his breath get harder. But when the lift doors opened, his eyes immediately met the man's gray ones as Draco leaned against his door. Draco seemed to have even longer legs inside the skinny black leggings he wore. The white cashmere jumper was slightly larger than his body, leaving Harry to imagine what lay beneath. His blond hair was deliciously out of place, and he smiled conspiratorially.  
Harry walked slowly to him, lost in his expression. His lips were dry, and he couldn’t speak. However, he didn’t have to. Draco got away from the door, moving closer to him and hugging him by his shoulders.

 

  
“Happy New Year, Harry,” Draco murmured, his voice hoarse and sensual, before he pressed his lips to Harry’s in the middle of the hallway, while people lit fires in the recreation area of the building and shouted with joy. Harry could barely hear anything but their breaths, and his mind focused only on the softness of those lips, the faint taste of wine that was still in his saliva.

 

  
He didn’t know if this year would be a good year. There was a lawsuit to win, two children to protect and a love he shouldn’t have. But _fuck it_. His early hours in 2017 were being _wonderful_.

 

  
  
**_To be continued..._**

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Posted on June 1st, 2018.

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you all liked it. Sorry for any mistakes.
> 
> Posted on 02/15/2017


End file.
